March 2010 Resource Assessments Available for Review and Comment

As described in the State Water Plan, the water resource assessments are evaluations of the capacity of water resources to meet demands for water supply and wastewater discharge without unreasonable impacts. Resource assessments using current conditions for water supply and wastewater discharge were developed in 2009-2010. In January and February 2010, EPD conducted Joint Meetings of the Regional Water Planning Councils to deliver the preliminary results of the current-conditions water resource assessments. Presentations from and summaries of those meetings are found here.

In March 2010, EPD released a synopsis of each of the three current-conditions water resource assessments for public review and comment: groundwater availability, surface water availability and surface water quality (assimilative capacity). In April 2011, an addendum to the synopsis of the surface water quality assessment was also posted for public review and comment. The addendum, found here, provides a basic description and summary of results for water quality modeling in the Chattahoochee and Flint River basins (some water quality modeling in these two basins was completed on a different schedule due to funding source). The addendum's appendices can be found here.

EPD is continuing to take comments on the synopses of the March 2010 resource assessments (including the April 2011 addendum to the surface water quality assessment). Comments may be submitted via mail or fax to:

Arnettia Murphy

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

Environmental Protection Division

2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

Suite 1152, East Tower

Atlanta, GA 30334

404-651-5778 FAX

404-656-4157 PHONE

How are the comments being used?

Some refinements and adjustments to the March 2010 current-conditions resource assessments have been completed, following Council input and public comments. While additional areas for improvement have been identified by Councils and the public, feedback did not indicate that the assessment tools could not be used to support development of regional water plans. Development of draft recommended regional water plans has proceeded using these tools.

EPD expects to continue to update and refine the resource assessment modeling tools as resources allow. Council input and public comments will continue to provide information on which to draw as those refinements are done. Note that, since the synopsis reports were simply intended to provide an initial summary description of the current-conditions assessment results, those reports themselves will not be revised.

EPD has prepared responses to the comments received during 2010, available below. This document will be updated as additional comments are received and responses completed.

 

Resource Assessments, Compiled Comments, and EPD Responses


Overview of March 2010 Resource Assessments


March 2010 Groundwater Availability Assessment

 

March 2010 Surface Water Availability Assessment

Appendices (Note: This document is in PDF format and is a large file.)


March 2010 Surface Water Quality (Assimilative Capacity) Assessment


Detailed Technical Reports
Detailed technical reports are being completed for each of the March 2010 water resource assessments. These reports provide background information on methods, data, and modeling techniques. Background data sets, such as the list of facilities used in the current assessments, are also available. To receive any of the technical reports completed to date or other available background data, please contact Suzanne Desmond, suzanne.desmond@dnr.state.ga.us, 404-463-1425. Additional water resource data is also available at USGS Water Resources Information and Data for Georgia.

 

EPD Response to Comments

Response to Comments on March 2011 Resource Assessments

Compiled Comments

 
Coosa - North Georgia Middle Chattahoochee Metro North Georgia Savannah - Upper Ogeechee Upper Flint Middle Ocmulgee Upper Oconee Lower Flint - Ochlockonee Suwannee - Satilla Altamaha Coastal Georgia