1. Local, Regional, State, and Multistate Water Management Agencies
Chapter 10
Local, Regional, State, and Multistate Water Management Agencies

2. Chapter Headings Local water agencies Regional water agencies
State water agencies
Multistate water agencies
Water management in Mexico and Canada

3. Municipal Water Departments
Provide drinking water to residents and manage wastewater
Funding derived from fees (water bills) and local taxes
Responsibility may include construction and operation of
Reservoirs
Transmission pipelines
Drinking water treatment plants
Wastewater treatment plants
Sewer lines
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)

4. MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)
Federal program to reduce urban stormwater pollutants to Maximum Extent Practicable (MEP)
Required to have point source NPDES permit
Permit comes up for review every 5 years

5. MS4 Cities must develop a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)
SWPP must cover
Public education and participation
Detection and elimination of illicit discharges
Construction site runoff
Post-construction site runoff
Pollution prevention

6. MS4 SWPPP must identify best management practices (BMP) to be used
BMPs for controlling illicit discharge
Develop a map of sewer system
Pass an ordinance prohibiting illicit discharges
Develop a plan to detect illicit discharges
Develop an education program
Wash water from a commercial car wash discharging down a storm drain is an illicit dishcarge

7. MS4 BMPs for construction phase Sediment basins Rock rip rap
Composting
Hydroseeding
Sodding
Silt fences
Etc.

8. MS4 BMPs for post construction phase
Nonstructural BMPs such as planning and ordinances
Structural BMPs such as various forms of Low Impact Development (LID)
LID practices try to restore the predevelopment hydrograph
Infiltrate runoff water close to the source

10. MS4 Key to success of MS4 program is funding
MS4 program is funded by a local charge on city dwellers
Usually part of water bill
Referred to as “Stormwater utility fee”
Athens Clarke County MS4 program

11. MS4

12. Porous Pavement

13. Green Roofs Gwinnet Environmental and Heritage Center
Rooftop garden
Cambridge MA

14. Asheville NC Arboretum

15. Rain garden
Bioretention area or rock garden

16. Rain garden

17. Rain garden

18. Rain garden

19. Rain garden

20. Rain garden

21. Rain garden

22. Rain garden

23. Rain garden

24. Rain garden

25. Rain garden

26. Rain garden

27. Rain garden

28. Rain garden

29. Rain garden

30. Rain garden
Asheville NC Arboretum

31. Chapter Headings Local water agencies Regional water agencies
State water agencies
Multistate water agencies
Water management in Mexico and Canada

32. Regional Water Agencies
Serve several counties and/or cities
Consolidation minimizes costs of administration
Examples are
Ditch and Irrigation Companies in the west
Water Management Districts in FL
Levee Districts along the Mississippi

33. Ditch and Irrigation Companies
Only found west of the Mississippi River
In 1800’s funding for construction of early diversion dams and irrigation ditches in the west was provided by investors
Sold stock in ditch and irrigation companies
As a stock owner you had a right to water once the system was built
Irrigation districts evolved during the early 1900’s
Became the local partner for Bureau of Reclamation
USBR constructed dams and canals with federal funds
Irrigation districts run day-to-day operations and collect local taxes and fees

34. Ditch and Irrigation Companies
Example is the Farwell Irrigation District in Farwell, Nebraska
Provides irrigation water to 50,000 acres
Diversion dam on the Middle Loup River
400 miles of delivery canals
38 pumping plants
Governed by federal law and USBR policy
Staff of 20 employees
Governed by a 3-member board of directors

36. Regional Water Agencies
Water Management Districts – Florida
Although FL has high average annual rainfall (53 in) it has severe water supply problems
Severe drought in 1960s caused water supply shortages and fires in Everlgades
Water Resources Act in 1972 created water management districts

38. Regional Water Agencies
Water management districts collect taxes
Manage surface and groundwater
Districts follow water basin boundaries roughly
Regulate water use through
Permits
Contract with federal water agencies
Develop water management plans

39. Chapter Headings Local water agencies Regional water agencies
State water agencies
Multistate water agencies
Water management in Mexico and Canada

40. State Water Agencies
Most states have several agencies that manage water
Usually these consist of
Agency dealing with water quality
Agency dealing with wildlife
Agency dealing with water quantity

41. Georgia Water Management
Georgia Department of Natural Resources has the following divisions (among others):
Environmental Protection Division
Water quality, administers federal Clean Water Act, TMDLs, NPDES permits, animal waste regulations
Wildlife Resources Division
Regulates hunting and fishing, protects non-game and endangered species
Coastal Resources Division
Manages marshes, beaches, and marine fisheries

42. Georgia Water Management
In 2004, Georgia Legislature passed a bill directing EPD to develop a statewide comprehensive water management plan by 2006
House Bill 237

43. Chapter Headings Local water agencies Regional water agencies
State water agencies
Multistate water agencies
Water management in Mexico and Canada

44. Multistate Water Agencies
Chesapeake Bay Commission formed in 1980
Advises state legislatures in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania on managing Bay and watershed
Overall goal is to improve water quality in the Bay by preventing upstream pollution
Focus on reducing phosphorus and nitrogen inputs to BayRecent report concluded that plan is not working
Facing Facts in the Chesapeake Bay

46. Chapter Summary
Water management agencies exist at different levels from local to multistate
Municipal water and sewer agencies and irrigation districts are important local agencies
State agencies manage water quality, quantity, wildlife, and in some cases water quantity
Georgia is in the process or developing a comprehensive water management plan