2011 Summary
The 2004 Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Planning Act authorized the development of the State Water Plan. The State Water Plan in turn, calls for state-wide regional water planning to provide the necessary local and regional perspectives to ensure each of Georgia's ten water planning region's water resources are sustainably managed through at least 2050.
To view Georgia's Water Future in Focus: Highlights of Regional Water Planning 2009-2011, please click here. This document, compiled by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, summarizes Georgia's initial three year regional planning process.
Components of Regional Planning
The products developed during Georgia's first round of Regional Water Planning include:
- State-wide Resource Assessments for Groundwater Availability, Surface Water Availability, and Surface Water Quality;
- State-wide Forecasts of water and wastewater needs through 2050 for the Agricultural, Energy, Industrial, and Municipal sectors;
- State-wide field assessments and information management systems;
In November 2011, ten Regional Water Plans were officially adopted by Georgia Environmental Protection Division's Director Allen Barnes. These Regional Water Plans outline management practices to meet future water needs and : 1) address both water quantity and water quality challenges; 2) include forecasts of future water supply and wastewater treatment needs; and, 3) identify practices to ensure that future needs can be met.
Regional Planning Councils
In February of 2009, the Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House appointed the 300 members of the ten Regional Water Planning Councils. Since then, the Councils have created Regional Water Plans, which were approved in November 2011.