Is the Mid-Atlantic Region Water Rich? Presentation to 5 th Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtable November 7, 2008 Joseph Hoffman, Executive Director Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin

SHORT ANSWER: YES NO MAYBE BUT:

TWO ISSUES Quality Quantity

QUALITY Chesapeake Bay Nutrient and Sediment Impairments Major State and Federal Investments in Time and Effort Tributary Strategies by States Refocus on Implementation

QUANTITY Chesapeake Bay Groundwater Depletion State and Federal Studies Growth Long Recharge Period Recharge Zones

QUANTITY Potomac River Basin Traditionally seen as having adequate, even surplus water Past efforts to divert from the East Potomac as supply for Region Shared resource 1960s plan for 16 reservoirs

CONFLICTS Riparian Rights Development – Historic and New Location, Location, Location Consumptive Uses

SOLUTIONS Stop Development Court Cases River Basin Commissions Integrated Water Resources Planning

V i s i o n P l a n n i n g What States are doing Potomac Basin Flow Management Shared Vision Planning

Potomac Jurisdictions Maryland Maryland Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Virginia Virginia West Virginia West Virginia District of Columbia District of Columbia All Acting!! Not the Same!!

MARYLAND  Governor’s Advisory Committee on the Management and Protection of the State’s Water Resources  Undertaken in Response to Drought  Covered by Two Governors’ Executive Orders  Final Report July 1, 2008 by State Agencies and others  Planning Tools

MD Recommendations (#1)  Develop more robust program based on sound, comprehensive data Manage water sustainably Manage water sustainably Critical basic data must be obtained Critical basic data must be obtained Develop statewide water supply plan Develop statewide water supply plan State/local governments coordinate and plan locally State/local governments coordinate and plan locally

MD Recommendations (#2)  Adequately and reliably fund staff, program and information needs Permit fees for permitting system Permit fees for permitting system Hydrologic studies with appropriations Hydrologic studies with appropriations Fund expanded monitoring network Fund expanded monitoring network Local government funding Local government funding Personnel (Recruit & retain) Personnel (Recruit & retain)

MD Recommendations (#3)  Legislative, regulatory & program changes Collaborative local & regional planning Collaborative local & regional planning Codify water allocation policies (Regulated Riparian) Codify water allocation policies (Regulated Riparian) Require local source water protection Require local source water protection Strengthen individual well regulations Strengthen individual well regulations Discourage individual well use at high risk Discourage individual well use at high risk Develop water supply outreach Develop water supply outreach

PENNSYLVANIA  Act 220, November 2002 (20+ Years)  Limited Funding; Need to Update State Water Plan; Five Year Cycle  Final Draft Plan September 2008  Seven Committees – 169+ Participants  Critical Water Planning Areas  Water Budget Tool

PA Priorities  Collect, interpret, & disseminate water resources information (Base of SWP)  Integrated water resources management  Technology to conserve/ enhance water resources & conservation

VIRGINIA  Drought Response; Supreme Court Issue; Legislative and Regulatory  Significant Local and Regional Input  Strong Water Supply Focus

 Water is a finite resource;  Non-consumptive uses are increasingly coming into conflict for the same surface water with consumptive uses;  Water resource issues need to be better integrated into the comprehensive planning process;  Water demand can be reduced through sustainable land use planning.  Water demand can be reduced through sustainable land use planning. Virginia Water Supply Planning

Local/Regional Water Supply Planning Local/Regional Water Supply Planning All counties, cities and towns will submit a plan, individually or as part of a region. All counties, cities and towns will submit a plan, individually or as part of a region. Development of a State Water Resources Plan Development of a State Water Resources Plan Water Reuse Regulation Water Reuse Regulation Legislation addressing consumptive use in the Potomac Legislation addressing consumptive use in the Potomac Virginia Water Resource Activities

VA DEQ Vision Achieve the full economic and environmental potential of Virginia’s water resources through sustainable water supply planning to meet current and future beneficial uses of water.

WEST VIRGINIA  Legislative Issue – Inventory 2005 (Past Issues and VA vs MD)  2008 Legislative Action to Plan, Somewhat Similar to PA  No Changes to Riparian and Common Law

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA  Water Supply by Corps of Engineers  DC Water Supply and Sewer Authority  Largest Waste Water Plant (Chesapeake Bay Quality)

DC SUPPLY PLANNING  Low Flow Allocation Agreement  Water Supply Coordination Agreement  Minimizes chances of a shortfall  Mandates coordinated operation of all facilities  Demand Forecast and Resource Assessments (5-year Cycle)  ICPRB Role

Reservoirs and service areas

Flow Management Efforts  Potomac Low Flow Issues  Corps of Engineers Recon/Feasibility (Middle Potomac)  The Nature Conservancy ELOHA Techniques ELOHA Techniques  Basin-wide Need and Approach

SHARED VISION PLANNING  Combination traditional planning traditional planning computer and decision support modeling computer and decision support modeling public participation public participation  Invest time and energy to truly engage  Rigorous collaboration in which stakeholders engage – They Talk!!  Proven Benefit