Photos: Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/ National Park Service Regional Water Resources Policy Committee Shenandoah Valley Water Resources Planning Report John Staelin, Chair May 15, 2008

Policy Committee  Augusta Co. Larry C. Howdyshell, Board of Supervisors, North River District  Berkeley Co. William L. Stubblefield, Berkeley County Commission  Alternate:Bonnie Stubblefield, Berkeley County Public Service District  Clarke Co.John Staelin, Chairman, Board of Supervisors, Millwood/Pine District  Frederick Co.Gene Fisher, Board of Supervisors, Shawnee District  Alternate:Wellington H. Jones, Frederick County Service Authority  Harrisonburg Mike Collins, Director of Utilities  Front Royal Stan Brooks, Town Council - Alternate  Gene Tewalt, Town Council - Alternate  Jefferson Co. Greg Corliss, County Commissioner  Alternate:Rusty Morgan, County Commissioner  Page Co.Charles Hoke, Board of Supervisors, District 2 –  Alternate:Chris Anderson, County Staff  Rockingham Co.Michael A. Breeden, Board of Supervisors, District 5  Pablo Cuevas, Board of Supervisors, District 1  StauntonLacy B. King, Mayor  Shenandoah Co.Steven A. Baker, Board of Supervisors, District 2  Alternate:Bud Griswold, Water Resources Advisory Committee  Warren Co.Tony F. Carter, Board of Supervisors, Happy Creek District  Alternate:Dick Magnifico, Assistant County Administrator  WaynesboroKimberly Cameron, P.E., City Engineer  WinchesterDick Helm, City Council  Alternate: Perry Eisenach, Public Services Director

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE REGIONAL WATER RESOURCES POLICY COMMITTEE As a Committee of local elected officials, the mission of the RWRPC shall be to develop an action oriented Strategic Plan that establishes a regionally coordinated policy framework for the long term protection and use of surface and ground water resources in the Shenandoah Valley. The objective of the Strategic Plan is to preserve the ecological quality and foster resource stewardship for the environmental and economic health of the Shenandoah Valley. This objective will be supported by promoting communication, coordination, and education, and by suggesting appropriate solutions to identified problems. The Committee shall provide oversight to technical committees in developing the Strategic Plan and ensure stakeholder inclusion and coordination with other Shenandoah Valley governmental entities.

WATER RESOURCES - “TAKE CARE OF THE WATER” - GOAL MATRIX PLANNING AND REGIONAL COOPERATION Achieve a broad regional consensus on the direction of water resources policy, planning, and management so that common goals can be achieved and solutions implemented more effectively and cost- efficiently. WATER SUPPLY SUSTAINABILITY Ensure water supply and demand are kept in balance so that Valley residents, businesses, farms, and aquatic life all have the needed level of sustainable water (ground and surface). WATER QUALITY Aggressively achieve the level of water quality (ground and surface) required to support the human, business, and agricultural needs in the Valley, without sacrificing the needs of the watershed’s fish and other aquatic life. RECREATIONAL ACCESS Ensure public access to the Valley’s water resources while respecting private property rights and the need to protect water quality. Primary Goals NATURAL SYSTEMS Protect and enhance the natural systems that are integral to water resources protection, including: karst geography, floodplains, vegetative buffers, forest and wetlands. EDUCATION/ STEWARDSHIP Have well informed, conservation-minded citizens, business people, and elected officials that are actively involved in promoting water resources stewardship. ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE Enhance the Valley’s economic advantage by protecting and wisely using water resources. Actionable Supporting Goals AGRICULTURAL AND OPEN SPACE HERITAGE Enhance the Valley’s agricultural and open space heritage linkage to water resources stewardship. BUILD ON EXISTING ABILITIES AND RELATIONSHIPS Strengthen the Valley’s ability to address water resources issues by effectively using and adding to the skills of local, regional, state, and national resources. DATA AND INFORMATION Provide Valley leaders and citizens alike with accessible, reliable and objective information and scientific data needed to support informed water resources decisions. STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS Optimize the standards and regulatory tools necessary to meet the Valley’s water resource protection and planning needs and consistently and equitably enforce these standards and regulations. FINANCIAL RESOURCES Provide or obtain the financial resources needed to meet the Valley’s water resources goals, continuously prioritizing efforts to maximize the value of each available dollar.

Strategy – Meet Virginia DEQ regulatory requirements for water supply planning and similar West Virginia requirements. Phase I Water Supply Planning Data - Public systems for municipalities and counties have compiled use data individually. - Estimates of self-supplied rural water well use by Census Block Group and Neighborhoods has been made for Counties. - Population projections are being updated. - Relationships will be used in the future for water budgets.

This GIS map displays Water Source distributions for Public/ Individual Well Blue – Public Water Red – Individual Well

Continued - A standard resolution for localities to indicate they will participate in a regional plan for Planning District 7 was developed and is being adopted. - In FY growth projections will be compared to water resources. - The Policy Committee will determine if the plan can be completed with in-house staff or whether consultant assistance would be advisable.

Strategy – Establish a regional drought awareness and response system for local governments that allows the timely delivery of conservation awareness messages. - DEQ is developing a web based Drought Monitoring system using the Shenandoah Valley as the pilot region. - The “Low Flow – Drought On-set” Committee framework for response has been adopted by a number of jurisdictions. It uses the MIF data to trigger responses. - A drought response plan is required by DEQ. The regional plan will enable localities to respond in sync. - Clarke County has made available its draft Drought Response Plan and Ordinance for distribution to localities.

- The Shenandoah Valley Natural Systems Symposium was held October 15-16, The Symposium Report is being used by USGS and other agencies to develop their plans to support a Shenandoah Valley Science Plan - The Symposium and its Report have increased scientific research interest in the region and will lead to work that increases local knowledge and supports policy makers. Strategy – Develop a “Shenandoah Valley Water Resources Science Plan” to provide decision-makers with the ability to better see how policy actions affect future watershed conditions.

Fiscal Year  Counties, Towns and City Adopted Resolution – Notice to DEQ by November 2  Phase I Data Complete  Population projections and water needs estimate  Advancing Drought Information System  Shenandoah Valley Science Symposium II October – SU  Legislative Priorities  Meeting with State agencies  Continued Coordination with SHENAIR

Recognition of three who helped the Valley by Making the Science Symposium a Success.  Jim McNeal, USGS  Brand Niemann, EPA  Dick Wertz, Foundation for Earth Science