Chapter 10

Local, Regional, State, and Multistate Water Management

Agencies

Chapter Headings

• Local water agencies

• Regional water agencies

• State water agencies

• Multistate water agencies

• Water management in Mexico and Canada

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)

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

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

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

MS4

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

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

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– http://www.accstormwater.com/stormwater-

pollution

MS4

Porous Pavement

Green Roofs

Rooftop gardenCambridge MA

• Gwinnet Environmental and Heritage Center

• http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=408

Rain garden

Bioretention area or rock garden

UGA Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Rain garden

Chapter Headings

• Local water agencies

• Regional water agencies

• State water agencies

• Multistate water agencies

• Water management in Mexico and Canada

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

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

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

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

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

• http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/sfwmdmain/home%20page

Chapter Headings

• Local water agencies

• Regional water agencies

• State water agencies

• Multistate water agencies

• Water management in Mexico and Canada

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

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

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

• http://www.georgiawaterplanning.org/

Chapter Headings

• Local water agencies

• Regional water agencies

• State water agencies

• Multistate water agencies

• Water management in Mexico and Canada

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 Bay• http://www.chesbay.state.va.us/• Recent report concluded that plan is not working

– Facing Facts in the Chesapeake Bay– http://www.ewg.org/conservation/chesapeake-bay-

pollution/report

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