RRBA_9-12-2009

Roanoke River Basin Association
Board Meeting
Water Supply Planning
Tom Fransen
North Carolina Division of Water Resources
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Troubled Waters: The Illusion of Abundance
UNC-TV
A New Frontier in Water Wars Emerges in East
NY Times, 3/3/2003
Water Wars: A future problem for Western Wake?
Wake Up Forum, 1/6/2007
S.C. Ready for Water War With N.C.: State Will File Lawsuit If
N.C. Cities Win Permission This Week to Draw Water From
Catawba
Columbia, SC 1/8/2007
‘Water war' moved to Florida court
Atlanta Business Chronicle - 3/21/2007
Bills would tighten requirements for water transfers
Legislation, along with appeals, at forefront in Catawba River
fight The war for Catawba River water will be fought on two
fronts, by lawmakers and attorneys
HICKORY 3/27/2007
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ƒAquatic Habitat
ƒRiparian Habitat
ƒPollution Dilution
ƒWater Supply
ƒPower Generation
ƒRecreation
We expect a lot from our river
basins.
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Critical Questions
How much water is available in
the river system?
How much, where and when is
water needed for the various
services we expect the river to
provide?
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Will we have enough water to meet the
needs of a growing population?
NC water use excluding power generation
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Po
p
u
l
a
t
i
o
n

/

1
,
0
0
0
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
MG
D
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Roanoke Basin Water
Withdrawals
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Summer of 2002
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Current Drought Status
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Drought History
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What North Carolina Needs to
Do to Provide Water Supplies
for Future Needs.
¾Focus 3 Major Areas
z Data for Water Management
z Water Supply Planning
z Regulation
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Water Resources Information, Storage, Analysis, &
Retrieval System
(http://www.ncwater.org/wrisars/)
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What North Carolina Needs to
Do to Provide Water Supplies
for Future Needs.
¾Focus 3 Major Areas
z Data for Water Management
z Water Supply Planning
z Regulation
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Local Water Supply Plans
z Local Water Supply Plans
z Updated every 5 Years
z Includes units of local government
z Includes some federal water systems
z Self-reported data
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Local Water Supply Plans
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River Basin Water Supply Planning
is a tool to:
¾Support long range, sustainable management of
North Carolina’s river basins
¾Provide a reliable, quantitative method to plan for
sustainable water use
¾Provide an objective basis for management and
regulatory decisions
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One of DENR’s Strategic Objectives for
MANAGING RIVER BASINS FOR MULTIPLE BENEFITS
In each of the state’s 17 major river basins, use river basin
planning and management as the framework for protection
of water quality, development of safe and reliable drinking
water supplies, and the conservation and enhancement of
natural resources.
One of the Objectives
Develop 50-year river basin water supply plans in
partnership with local governments and other water users,
to guide the development of local and regional water
supply projects to meet each basin’s future water supply
needs. Over time, transition local water supply plans onto
the same schedule as the basinwide water quality plans for
the river basin in which the water system is located.
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River Basin Modeling
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What North Carolina Needs to
Do to Provide Water Supplies
for Future Needs.
¾Focus 3 Major Areas
z Data for Water Management
z Water Supply Planning
z Regulation
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Water Allocation Regulations
¾Riparian Rights
¾Water Use Act
¾Interbasin Transfer
¾FERC Licensed Hydroelectric Projects
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NC Riparian Rights
¾Riparian property owners have right to
“reasonable use” of water.
¾Can not adversely affect quantity or
quality.
¾Maintain instream flow at “reasonable”
level.
¾Impairment often a water quality issue.
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The Water Use Act of 1967
G.S. 143-215.11 to .22
¾Phosphate mining in Beaufort
County led to creation of the
Water Use Act
z Reasonable regulation to conserve
and maintain water resources so
they can be used to the fullest
extent possible
¾Central Coastal Plain Capacity
Use Area – The only CUA in the
State.
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Central Coastal Plain
Capacity Use Area
¾15 counties in the
central portion of
the Coastal Plain
¾Currently 218
permit holders
and 72
registrations
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What is an Interbasin
Transfer?
An interbasin transfer is the movement of surface water
from one river basin into another.
The purpose of the Interbasin Transfer Law is to take a
pause to be sure it is good public policy before moving
water from one river basin into another.
The Interbasin Transfer Law does NOT prohibit transfers.
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The image most people have when they
think about interbasin transfer.
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The NC reality.
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The NC reality.
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Final Determination
¾The benefits outweigh the detriments.
¾The detriments are or will be mitigated.
¾Transfer not exceed the amount of the
projected shortfall.
¾No reasonable alternatives.
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Certificate Conditions
¾7 required conditions
¾Water Conservation Plan – equal or
exceed most stringent in the source
basin
¾Drought Management Plan – equal or
exceed most stringent in the source
basin
¾Quarterly reporting within 30 days of
the end of the quarter
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Kerr Lake Regional Water System
Interbasin Transfer Status
¾10 MGD Grandfathered Capacity
z From Roanoke River to Tar/Neuse River
Basins
¾2040 projected interbasin transfer is
estimated to be 24 MGD.
¾Updates -
http://www.ncwater.org/Permits_and_Registration/Interbasin_Transfer/
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Summary
¾No comprehensive plan for water quantity
management in NC.
¾No federal oversight of / requirements for
water quantity management.
¾Pro
z Less government regulation & permitting.
z Equal right to the water for all.
¾Con
z No plan to ensure availability of water for future
water supply, industry, continued economic
growth, & ecological health on NC’s water bodies.
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River Basin Commissions
¾Roanoke River Basin Commission
z Ad Hoc Water Allocation Committee
¾Catawba-Wateree River Basin
Commission
¾Yadkin-PeeDee River Basin
Commission
¾Proposed Little Tennessee River Basin Commission
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Contact Information
Tom Fransen
919-715-0381
[e-mail]
www.ncwater.org
Questions
Copy of presentation online at - http://www.ncwater.org/basins