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Georgia Groundwater Management

Georgia Groundwater Management. Gail Cowie Watershed Protection Branch. Groundwater Management Districts Association May 31, 2018. outline. Georgia’s groundwater resources and management framework Lower Flint River Basin management initiatives Coastal Georgia management initiatives

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Georgia Groundwater Management

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  1. Georgia Groundwater Management Gail Cowie Watershed Protection Branch Groundwater Management Districts Association May 31, 2018

  2. outline • Georgia’s groundwater resources and management framework • Lower Flint River Basin management initiatives • Coastal Georgia management initiatives • Regional water planning

  3. Regulation of Water withdrawals • Permits for withdrawals above 100,000 gals/day • Municipal and Industrial • ~500 active groundwater permits • ~300 active surface water permits • Agricultural • >21,000 active permits • Ag metering

  4. M&I Water Use Surface Water Withdrawals Groundwater Withdrawals Municipal and industrial withdrawals

  5. Agricultural irrigation withdrawals

  6. Lower flint basin management

  7. Lower flint basin management ------- Area where Floridan aquifer and surface water have active hydraulic connection (approximate)

  8. Flint river basin management • Improve information on water use and water resources • Sound Science Initiative (1999 – 2006) • Agricultural metering (2004 – Current) • Regional water plans (2010, 2017)

  9. Flint river basin management • Improve information on water use and water resources • Sound Science Initiative (1999 – 2006) • Agricultural metering (2004 – Current) • Regional water plans (2010, 2017) • Policy responses to improved information • Permitting moratorium (1999 – 2006) • Basin-specific permitting plan (2006) • Drought Protection Act and amendments (2000, 2006, 2014) • Agricultural permitting suspension (2012 – Current) • Assessment of alternate water sources (2014 – Current)

  10. Current agricultural permitting suspension

  11. Evaluation of alternate water sources • Evaluation of data from selected existing wells and from eight new test wells: • 6 GEFA test wells (shown in green) • 2 USGS test wells (shown in orange)

  12. Evaluation of alternate water sources • Where the Claiborne aquifer is thinner, specific capacities can be relatively high. • Where specific capacity is lower, the aquifer is thicker. Productive wells can be completed because a larger drawdown is possible. • In all areas, availability may be limited by other users.

  13. Coastal groundwater management

  14. Coastal groundwater management

  15. Upper floridan potentiometric surface USGS SIR 2006-5058

  16. Saltwater plume migration

  17. Coastal groundwater management • Improve information on water use and water resources • Coastal Sound Science Initiative (1997-2005) • Monitoring and modeling of the Floridan aquifer system (2006 – Current) • Regional water plans (2010, 2017)

  18. Coastal groundwater management • Improve information on water use and water resources • Coastal Sound Science Initiate (1997-2005) • Monitoring and modeling of the Floridan aquifer system (2006 – Current) • Regional water plans (2010, 2017) • Policy responses to improved information • Interim Strategy to Manage Saltwater Intrusion (1997) • Basin-specific permitting plan (2006) • Moratorium on new withdrawals (2013) • Additional reductions in groundwater withdrawals (2015) • Evaluation and use of alternate water sources (Ongoing)

  19. Groundwater permit limit reductions • Reductions implemented where available alternate water supplies exist. • Groundwater withdrawal permit limits (annual average) were reduced on December 31, 2015. • In RED zone, reductions are staged for 2020 and 2025 • In YELLOW Zone, reductions are staged for 2025.

  20. Regional water planning

  21. MILESTONES IN GEORGIA’S WATER PLANNING • Revised plans adopted by Regional Water Councils and Metro District 2017 2011 Regional Water Plans adopted Metro Water District plans revised 2009 • Georgia’s State Water Plan adopted 2008 Comprehensive State-wide Water Planning Act passed 2004 • Metro Water District adopted three regional water plans 2003 • Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning Act passed, creating Metro Water District 2001

  22. Basic elements of regional water plans • Vision and goals • Water and wastewater demand forecasts • Resource assessments • Management practices to meet demands and goals • > Plans guide permits and state funding for infrastructure

  23. Groundwater sustainable yield estimates

  24. Groundwater sustainable yield estimates Forecasted demand (2016 update): 2015 – 619 MGD 2050 – 731 MGD

  25. Groundwater assessments: 2017 updates Regionally-focused studies • Capacity of groundwater to replace surface water use • Monitoring recommendations • Assess additional aquifer unit • Assess aquifer characteristics and capacity for additional use 2 1 3 1 4

  26. Management practices & Recommendations • Water conservation • Master planning • Enhanced surface storage • Additional groundwater use • Wastewater returns • Stormwater management • Nonpoint source controls • Recommendations to state

  27. questions Gail.Cowie@dnr.ga.gov 404-657-5739 epd.georgia.gov/watershed-protection-branch

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