Water Resources UpdateWater Resources Update

Informational ItemInformational Item

Technical Committee Technical Committee October 9, 2013October 9, 2013

Water Resources CommitteeWater Resources Committee

• WRC met August 13th • Marked first time water resource agency

representatives from all 6 mainstem states in attendance

• Agenda included:– Water Resource Initiative update– USACE Civil Works Future Identity Initiative– USGS WaterSMART Initiative– Upper Mississippi River Basin Association

Water Resources InitiativeWater Resources Initiative• Completed draft reports

– Water Use Characterization– Water Resource Laws & Regs

• Reports under development – Shale gas development

• Compiling water use data from the states – Inter-basin transfers

• Reports not yet initiated– Potential impacts of climate change on water

resource management– Future role of Commission in water resources

management

USACE Civil Works Future USACE Civil Works Future Identity InitiativeIdentity Initiative

• Build on existing Ohio River Basin activities and organizations to continue toward IWRM

• Explore possibility of implementing Shared Vision Planning to address issues in Ohio River Basin

• Get Ohio River Basin stakeholder feedback on potential use of Shared Vision Planning

• Regional initiatives to engage stakeholders on relevant issues and move out on new practices

• Goals:1. Use collaborative planning to solve Ohio River Basin

problems, potentially develop a comprehensive planAnd in the process

2. Establish a robust institutional framework for collaboratively resolving water resources issues in the future

USGS WaterSMARTUSGS WaterSMART

• Develop a nationwide system to deliver information about key water availability indicators– Precip, ET, storage, surface/groundwater, E-flows, uses

and consumption• Progressing Towards a National Assessment of

Water Availability and Use – Circular 1384• Pilot studies – Delaware, Colorado, and ACF• Opportunity to get Ohio River Basin included in

next round of studies.

Upper Mississippi River Basin Upper Mississippi River Basin AssociationAssociation

• Facilitate dialogue and cooperative action regarding water resource issues in the Upper Mississippi River Basin – Five states: IL, IA, MN, MO, WS

• Key areas include:– Flood risk management– Advocate States’ positions on WR issues– Hydropower– Water supply (interbasin diversion policy)– Water quality

• Could serve as a non-regulatory model for defining ORSANCO’s role in water resources management

Next StepsNext Steps• Water Resources Initiative

– Continue to work on reports• Follow-up:

– Discuss feedback from USACE stakeholder meetings re: Civil Works Future Identity

– Investigate possible inclusion in USGS water census study

• Articulate benefits to States of Commission role in water resources

• Water Resources MOU– Continue to work with states to build support

QUESTIONS?