david p. lusch, ph.d. [email protected] 1 / 26 david p. lusch, ph.d. distinguished senior research...

1 / 26David P. Lusch, Ph.D.

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David P. Lusch, Ph.D.Distinguished Senior Research Specialist

Michigan State UniversityDept. of Geography, Remote Sensing & GIS

Research and Outreach Services Group

Institute of Water Research

Michigan’s Michigan’s WWater ater WWithdrawal ithdrawal AAssessment Process ssessment Process

andand Using the WWA Tool for Planning Using the WWA Tool for Planning

and Watershed Managementand Watershed Management

and


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• Overview of the groundwater & surface water resources of the regions

•Overview of the Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool (WWAT)

• Example uses of the WWAT for sustainable community development

Michigan’s Water Withdrawal Assessment Process Michigan’s Water Withdrawal Assessment Process for Planning and Watershed Managementfor Planning and Watershed Management


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http://www.miwwat.org/



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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool– Oct 1, 2008

• WWAT available for testing and evaluation• LQWs may use the assessment tool (or request

site-specific review)

– July 9, 2009• DEQ shall implement the assessment tool• LQWs shall use the assessment tool (or

request site-specific review)



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•WWAT Conceptual Model

System User

Dynamically Retrieve Location Specific Data

Withdrawal Information• Water Source• Pumping Frequency• Pumping Capacity• Aquifer Type

Input Information

Real-time Modeling

A B C D

Adverse Resource Impact Zones

Registration

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Administrative Agency• Real-time Updates• Water Accounting

Updated Water Availability

Rerun

Model

RequestSite-Specific

ReviewFrom MDEQ

orRequest

Site-SpecificReviewFrom MDEQ


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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool– User enters the location for a new

groundwater withdrawal.

– GIS software determines the “home” catchment.

– If the proposed well is in bedrock, the bedrock type for the catchment is identified from the GIS database.



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Pass, saline comment stored

Switched to glacial aquifer

Pass, no restrictions

Evaluated using GWIM bedrock properties;

streambed conductance with bedrock estimated

from the properties of the glacial deposits overlying

the bedrock.


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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool– From the GIS database, the aquifer

properties of the catchment and whether it is a Great Lake shoreline catchment are identified.

– Nearest-neighbor stream segments to the proposed withdrawal site are identified.

– Distances from the proposed well to the nearest stream segments are computed.



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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool

– Groundwater flow model runs for each stream segment using aquifer properties for the catchment containing the well and the distances to the nearest stream segments. For continuous pumping, the solution is evaluated after 5 years of simulation.



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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool– For intermittent pumping, the

superposition equation is used to compute the maximum streamflow depletion during the 5-year evaluation period.

– The streamflow depletion is apportioned to the neighboring stream segments using inverse distance weighting.

– Estimated streamflow depletions are compared to the “available” streamflows and determination is provided to the user.



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• Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool



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• Zone A – OK to register

• Zone B – OK to register and DEQ must notify “interested parties”

• Zone C – May not register - must have a site-specific review; if passed, DEQ must notify “interested parties”

• Zone D – ARI likely; must have a site-specific review


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• MDEQ required notifications – If the MDEQ receives a registration or issues a

permit for a zone B or zone C withdrawal, it shall place a notice on the department's website and notify by e-mail all of the following that have requested an e-mail notification:

• Conservation districts• Regional planning agencies• Watershed management planning committees• Storm water committees established under part 31• Chief elected officials of local units of government• Community supplies owned by political subdivisions• All Water Users Committees in the vicinity



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• Water users committees

– All persons making LQWs within a watershed are encouraged to establish a water users committee to evaluate the status of current water resources, water use, and trends in water use within the watershed and to assist in long-term water resources planning.

– A water users committee may be composed of all registrants, permit holders, and local government officials within the watershed.



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• Water users committees

– Upon establishment of a water users committee, a participating local government official may create an ad hoc subcommittee of residents of that local unit of government to provide that local government official with information and advice on water resources, water use, and trends in water use within the local unit of government.



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• Water resources assessment and education committees

– The notified entities may form a water resources assessment and education committee in order to:

• assess trends in water use in the vicinity of the withdrawal

• educate water users

– The MDEQ shall assist in the formation of water resources assessment and education committees and may provide them with technical information regarding water use and capacity within their vicinity, aggregated at the stream reach level.



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• Water resources assessment and education committees

– Committee meetings shall be open to the general public.

– Water resources assessment and education committees may provide educational materials and recommendations regarding any of the following:

• Long-term water resources planning• Use of conservation measures• Drought management activities• Other topics related to water use as identified by the

committee



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• Regulatory “teeth”

– If the MDEQ determines by reasonable, scientifically-based evidence that ARIs are occurring or are likely to occur from one or more LQWs, they shall:

• notify the water users committee in the watershed, or

• convene a meeting of all registrants and permit holders within the watershed

– MDEQ shall attempt to facilitate an agreement on voluntary measures that would prevent adverse resource impacts.



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• Regulatory “teeth”

– If after 30 days the registrants and permit holders are not able to voluntarily agree to measures that would prevent adverse resource impacts, the MDEQ may propose a solution that the department believes would equitably resolve the situation and prevent adverse resource impacts.

– The recommended solution is not binding on any of the parties.



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• Regulatory “teeth” – The Director of the MDEQ may order permit holders to

immediately restrict their withdrawals (for up to 60 continuous days) if the Agency determines by clear and convincing scientific evidence that there is a substantial and imminent threat that these withdrawals are causing or are likely to cause an adverse resource impact.

– Permit holders include:

• New or increased LQW 2 million gpd (1,389 gpm)

• New or increased LQW 1 million gpd (694 gpm) that a site-specific review determined is a zone C withdrawal

• LQWs holding a permit under the Safe Drinking Water Act (PA 399, 1976)



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• The next segment

– WWAT for sustainable development


david p. lusch, ph.d. [email protected] 1 / 26 david p. lusch, ph.d. distinguished senior research...

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