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Minnesota Water Availability Initiative: Promoting Sustainable Water Management

Join the EQB Water Availability Focus Group led by John Wells and Princesa VanBuren to explore the long-term implications and directions of water management in Minnesota. Delve into current and future water management strategies, regulatory approaches, and data collection priorities.

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Minnesota Water Availability Initiative: Promoting Sustainable Water Management

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Presentation Transcript

  1. Water Availability Focus GroupWelcome, Introduction, Goals John Wells and Princesa VanBuren Environmental Quality Board June 24, 2008

  2. EQB Water Availability Initiative • MPCA board request • RGU in ER for variety of projects • Need for information broader than individual projects • EQB charge • Interagency work group convened • Work plan created and approved

  3. The Charge • Find a way to put consideration of proposed water uses into a broader framework • Consider standards to address environmental impacts of water uses • Summarize needs and options for collecting additional data

  4. Assumptions • Complete project in six months • Base work on existing data • Project should give public a better understanding of water availability and sustainability • Today’s decisions would benefit from an understanding of the context of future needs

  5. Questions • What do and don’t we know about Minnesota’s ground water resources? • Can we make any estimates on water availability in a broad sense? • What’s our water resources management strategy? • Do we have a sustainable planning strategy? What is it? • Can we identify the data gaps and develop tools to improve our understanding?

  6. The Team • Agriculture • BWSR • Commerce • DNR • EQB • Health • Met Council • Minnesota Geological Survey • PCA • Technical Advisers • University of Minnesota • US Geological Survey

  7. Outcomes People will understand … • How today’s water permitting, availability and policy decisions fit with the long term view

  8. EQB Water Availability ProjectWeb Page 1. General http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/project.html?Id=19502 2. Focus group http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/resource.html?Id=19614

  9. Future Water Management • Puts water upfront in land use decisions • Manages aquifers & watersheds as one • Is well informed • Accepts limits to growth • Meets ecosystem, community & business needs

  10. Elements I • History and background (April) • Regulatory approach (April) • Understanding of water availability and sustainability (May) • Land use and water supply planning (May)

  11. Elements II • Connections with other activities and studies (May) • Framework for understanding long-term implications and directions (June) • Standards that quantify and address the water impacts (June) • Information needs and priorities (July)

  12. Questions?

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