Meeting Instream and Offstream Demands through Efficient Surface Water Storage and Aquifer Management
Long-term management of water resources is a growing concern in many parts of the State. As economic development and population growth increases, new policies and practices will be needed to meet the vision for sustainable management of Georgia’s water resources that is codified in the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Act.
The quantity of water resources in the State is influenced by precipitation, ground cover, water storage, aquifer/surface water interaction, water withdrawals, and wastewater returns. Although Georgia’s climate provides generally for abundant precipitation, it does not necessarily occur where and when needed to meet the demands of society and natural systems.
Sustainable management of Georgia’s waters means ensuring that water is available, now and in the future, for people’s use away from the water source, also known as offstream uses. These uses include water supply for domestic use, for industrial purposes, and for agricultural uses, including irrigation, all of which are fundamental to the state’s economy and to the quality of life of Georgia residents.
To fully accomplish this vision, however, Georgia’s waters must, at the same time, be managed to meet instream needs. The term “instream uses” addresses fish and wildlife and ecosystem support, but goes beyond that to include water that people use directly while in the stream, for hydropower production, navigation, and recreation. Finally, instream flows also transport water to meet the needs of downstream water users, water that provides for both offstream and instream use in lower segments of our river basins.
Meeting offstream and instream needs for water is, of course, complicated by the fact that precipitation varies, with resultant variations in streamflow and groundwater levels. Storing water at higher flow times in order to meet demand at lower flow times can provide ways to adapt. As stated by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, the question inherent in this management objective can be stated as follows:
"How will it be possible to spread the water supplies over time and space such that human needs are met while natural systems are kept healthy and continue to provide crucial environmental services upon which we depend?"
Three sets of policy tools that can help us address this challenge will be the focus of policy options developed to address this management objective: surface storage or reservoir policies, instream flow policies, and aquifer management policies. The University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government produced for EPD a research document titled Balancing Instream and Offstream Uses that addresses these three sets of policy tools.
Information discussed at the basin advisory committee meetings
can be found on the discussion materials
page. Fact sheets for the discussion packet can be found
at:
Georgia's Ground-Water Resources and Monitoring Network, 2006
Georgia's Surface-Water Resources and Stream Flow Monitoring Network, 2006
Georgia's Stream-Water Quality Monitoring Network, 2006
Georgia's Water-Use Program, 2006
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