Water Development and Conservation Plans

The role of the regional water planning councils is to prepare recommended Water Development and Conservation Plans (WDCP). These long-term regional water resource management plans will include resource assessments, estimates of current and future water needs, and those management practices necessary to meet the region’s needs within the capabilities of the resources.

WDCPs must support the region’s (and state’s) economy, protect the public health and natural systems, and enhance the quality of life for all citizens. In order to do so the WDCPs must promote sustainable use, conservation and reuse of water, guard against a shortage of water, and promote the efficient use of the water resource. They must also be based upon detailed scientific analysis of the water resources, the projected future condition of the resources, current demand, and estimated future demands on the resource.

WDCPs must be based on the best available science; therefore, Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) will provide each council with the results of Water Resource Assessments that model how much water is available from the water resources on which the region relies. Assessments will also estimate the capacity of the surface water resources to assimilate pollution.

In addition to the Water Resource Assessments, each council will also use 10-, 20-, 30-, and 40-year water and wastewater demand forecasts for each region to 1) understand the likely changes the region will experience; and 2) identify any "gaps" that may exist between the capabilities of the resources as articulated by the Assessments and the future regional needs.

In the event "gaps" between available water and future (or current) demands are identified, the councils will determine which water and land use management practices should be employed to ensure there is sufficient water and assimilative capacity to meet future needs. EPD will use computer models to test the ability of the recommended practices to close any identified "gaps."

All of the water planning regions border other regions or share surface or groundwater resources with other regions; therefore, each regional planning council will communicate and coordinate with adjacent, upstream and/or downstream councils as well as EPD to ensure the appropriateness of the recommended management practices.

EPD and the councils will use an iterative process of recommendation and modeling, to arrive at a set of management practices to meet the Region’s future needs.

Each council will submit a draft Water Development and Conservation Plan to the Director of EPD, who will adopt the plan or suggest changes so that it can be adopted. The Water Development and Conservation Plans are to be finalized and adopted by June 30, 2011.

After a Water Development and Conservation Plan is adopted for a region, all EPD permits and Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) grants and loans for water projects will be guided by the Plan.