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PROJECT PLAN: The Nature Conservancy Corps of Engineers ICPRB

PROJECT PLAN: The Nature Conservancy Corps of Engineers ICPRB. Presentation Potomac Watershed Roundtable January 9, 2009. QUANTITY Potomac River Basin. Traditional Thinking: We have adequate, even surplus water 1960s plan for 16 reservoirs Past efforts to divert from the East

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PROJECT PLAN: The Nature Conservancy Corps of Engineers ICPRB

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  1. PROJECT PLAN: The Nature Conservancy Corps of Engineers ICPRB Presentation Potomac Watershed Roundtable January 9, 2009

  2. QUANTITYPotomac River Basin • Traditional Thinking: We have adequate, even surplus water • 1960s plan for 16 reservoirs • Past efforts to divert from the East • Potomac as supply for Region • Growth • Shared resource • Groundwater Depletion

  3. CONFLICTS • Riparian Rights • Development – Historic and New • Drought and Aquatic Life • Consumptive Uses

  4. SOLUTIONS • Stop Development • Court Cases • Integrated Water Resources Planning • Flow Management Data & Decisions

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

  6. MARYLAND • Governor’s Advisory Committee on the Management and Protection of the State’s Water Resources • Undertaken in Response to Drought • Final Report July 1, 2008 by State Agencies and others • Planning Tools

  7. MD RECOMMENDATIONS • Develop more robust program based on sound, comprehensive data • Adequately and reliably fund staff, program and information needs • Legislative, regulatory & program changes

  8. PENNSYLVANIA • Act 220, November 2002 (20+ Years) • Update State Water Plan; 5-Year Cycle • Initial Draft Plan September 2008 • Water Budget Tool • Critical Water Planning Areas • Past & New Instream Flow Projects

  9. PA PRIORITIES • Collect, interpret, & disseminate water resources information (Base of SWP) • Integrated water resources management • Technology to conserve/ enhance water resources & conservation

  10. VIRGINIA • Drought and response to Supreme Court decision; Water is a finite resource. • Non-consumptive uses increasingly in conflict for the same surface water with consumptive uses. • Water resource issues need to be better integrated into the comprehensive planning process.

  11. VA VISION: Achieve full economic and environmental potential through sustainable water supply planning to meet current and future beneficial uses of water.

  12. VA PLANNING ACTIVITIES • Local/regional water supply plan individually or as part of a region. • Develop a state water resources plan • Water reuse regulation • Legislation to address consumptive use in the Potomac

  13. WEST VIRGINIA • Legislative Issue – Inventory 2005 (Past Issues and VA vs. MD) • 2008 Legislation – SB 641 • No Changes to Riparian and Common Law

  14. METRO AREA PLANNING • Low Flow Allocation Agreement & Water Supply Coordination Agreement • Minimize chances of a shortfall • Mandates coordinated operation of all facilities • Demand Forecast and Resource Assessments (5-year Cycle) • ICPRB Role

  15. POTOMAC LOW FLOW ISSUE • Origin in 1980 with LFAA and WSCA • Raised during drought 1999 -2002 • ICPRB led group • Need for sound-science base

  16. POTOMAC FLOW MANAGEMENTGIVENS • Potomac will be supply for region • Impacts from growth, climate change • Protect values – quality of life, ecology, Chesapeake Bay • Basin-wide need and approach • The Nature Conservancy expertise, interest, & funds • Corps of Engineers studies & funds (Middle Potomac)

  17. THE PROJECT FRAMEWORK • Assemble Planning Team/Conduct Initial Workshop (ICPRB Lead) • Assess & Compile Biological & Water Quality Data (ICPRB Lead) • Develop/Refine Hydrologic Model & Database (ICPRB Lead w/ VA DEQ?) • Develop Future Water Use Projections (ICPRB CO-OP 2010 Study) • Basin-wide Hydrologic Alteration Assessment (ICPRB Lead, TNC Support)

  18. Continued • Basin-Wide Literature Review (TNC RFP) • Environmental Flows Workshop (TNC Lead) • Classify Streams – System Types (ICPRB Lead) • Develop Tributary Ecological Response Curves (ICPRB Lead) • Environmental Flows Workshops (Tribs – TNC Lead)

  19. Continued • Middle Potomac Basin Watershed Assessment (ICPRB Lead) • Scope Full Basin Comprehensive Water Resources Plan (ICPRB Lead) • Transfer Knowledge (ICPRB Lead to States, COE, Stakeholders, Others) • Decision Support Tool For Water Allocations Considering Ecological Limits Of Hydrologic Alteration (ICPRB Lead – Unfunded to date)

  20. BENEFITS AND PRODUCTS • Better, comprehensive basin planning • Involve Stakeholders (Many!) • Tools • Decision-making support • Regulatory certainty States advise and support

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