Water Resources Update ORSANCO Technical Committee June 4-5, 2013

Water Resources Committee WRC met April 9 th Agenda included: –Water Resource Initiative reports –Discussion: Path to a sustained role in water resources management –PA Ecosystem flow studies –USACE Climate Change Adaptation Study –Headwaters Resource Committee update –Member Updates USGS National Water Availability Assessment

Water Resources Reports Current draft reports –Water Use Characterization –Water Resource Laws & Regs Next draft reports –Shale gas development –Inter-basin transfers Remaining sections –Report #1 – Climate change –Report #2 – Discussion of gaps in existing authorities necessary to address critical needs

Inter-basin Transfers 3,782 peripheral miles of the ORB 13 major river basins - Great Lakes - SRBC - ICPRB - ACF-ACT - Savannah (SRBP) - UMRBA TVA

IBT Policies

Inter-basin Transfers 37 IBTs identified –28 Exit235 Mgal/day –9 Enter6.4 Mgal/day Net-loss of 229 Mgal/day 206 Mgal/day Exit via Canals 29 Mgal/day primarily municipal IBTs

Canalled Diversions 200 Mgal/day

Moving Beyond the WRI Currently no funding beyond 2014 Water Resources MOU –MOU is important for achieving state funding –Supported by some states, but need more –Commissioners elected not to move forward with MOU at this time Possible approach: States provide routine minimal base funding to support sustained Commission engagement in water resources issues –Special projects could be completed with targeted funding

Next Steps Water Resources Initiative –Reports Finalize – Laws & Regs; Water Use Characterization Draft – Inter-basin Transfers; Shale Gas Initiate – Climate change Water Resources MOU –Continue to work with states to gauge support Agency Visits –Meet with water resource agency staff to gain better understanding of specific issues/needs Next WRC meeting in August

QUESTIONS?