Georgia Environmental Conference Water Supply – Reservoirs in Georgia Dargan Scott Cole, Sr. Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C. 191 Peachtree Street, Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia Phone: August 25, 2011

Water Supply Issues Droughts in GeorgiaDroughts in Georgia – – – – – Georgia PopulationGeorgia Population –2,900,000 –3,695,000 –5,970,000 –8,185,000 –9,700,000

Where have we been? Statewide Planning –Regional Reservoir Program (1989) –MNGWPD (2003/2009) –Water Supply Act of 2008 –Statewide Water Plan (2011) Statewide public education –Ongoing effort Project Funding –Pre-construction funding left to local government –State funding available for construction

Legend = Water Supply Reservoir Proposed Regional Reservoirs (1989)

Legend = Water Supply Reservoir Local Reservoirs (Pre-2000)

Legend = Water Supply Reservoir Recent Activity with Reservoirs In Permitting Permitted Recently Completed

Legend = Water Supply Reservoir GEFA Reservoir Expansion Study Less than 3 bg Between 3 and 5 bg More than 5 bg

Legend = Water Supply Reservoir NRCS Reservoir Expansion Study Less than 5 mgd Between 5 and 9.5 mgd Greater than 9.5 mgd

2020 Primary Options

NRCS Reservoirs Permitting or Proposed GEFA Reservoirs

Where do we go from here? Statewide Planning –Identify and protect regional reservoir opportunities –Identify and protect new sources of water –Identify and protect statewide mitigation opportunities Statewide public education –Provide funding for a statewide public education effort Implementation –Upfront money to support local planning, permitting and design efforts –Upfront money to acquire environmental mitigation tracts

Financing Local Water Supply Projects A Proposal for Governor Deal’s Water Supply Program Task Force

Water Supply Project Funding Pre-Permit CostPre-Permit Cost –Cost to plan and permit –Cost to acquire environmental mitigation property Discretionary costsDiscretionary costs –Cost to acquire the land Post Permit CostPost Permit Cost –Cost to construct the project –Cost to construct the environmental mitigation –Cost to treat and distribute the final product

Reservoirs in the permitting process –Parks Creek, Jefferson4 mgd –Glades Reservoir, Hall Co.80 mgd –Russell Creek, Dawson Co.11 mgd –Richland Creek, Paulding Co.35 mgd198 mgd –Bear Creek, Fulton Co.16 mgd –Bear Creek, Newton Co.28 mgd –Indian Creek, Carroll Co.24 mgd Proposed Reservoirs –Haralson Co.16 mgd –Dawson Forest, Dawson Co.50 mgd –Calhoun Creek, Lumpkin Co.47 mgd153 mgd –Heard Co. 8 mgd –Barrow Co.8 mgd –South River, Henry/Newton Cos.24 mgd

Planning Permitting and Design Implement a program modeled after the Texas State Water Development Board’s Water Infrastructure Fund 10-year Deferral (WIF-Deferred) Use the GEFA portion of the funding for low interest loans for planning, design and permitting costs of water supply projects Defer interest and principal payments for 5 years or until the end of construction, whichever comes first. –Defers up front costs –Allow long-term planning for repayment

Environmental Mitigation Use funding from Department of Community Affairs to purchase the necessary environmental mitigation property Georgia retains the asset for use with other projects, if the current project is delayed. DCA is repaid after the permitting is complete

Conclusions

Dargan Scott Cole, Sr. Hall Booth Smith & Slover, P.C. 191 Peachtree Street, Suite 2900 Atlanta, Georgia Phone: