GroundwaterVirginia










Bulletin Board

    NEW! RILL Sponsors New Course on Water Issues
    The Rappahannock Institute for Lifelong Learning is sponsoring a new continuing education
    course entitled "Supply and Demand: The Struggle for a Sustainable Water Supply.
    CLICK HERE for details.

    DEQ Director 's Statement on Groundwater Management
    "Our goal," Director David Paylor has written, " is to maintain the long-term sustainability of
    this resource while allowing its use for growth and development."

    Groundwater Management  Update
     The Regulatory Advisory Panel (RAP) appointed by Virginia DEQ to discuss the Notices of
    Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) to expand the Eastern Virginia Ground Water
    Management Area to include the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula and various changes in
    the groundwater withdrawal permitting process has completed its task. The next step is
    review  by the State Water Control Board, which takes place on June 21, 2010. The current
    groundwater management regulations are found in 9 VAC 25-600 and 9 VAC 25-610. Presently,
    the only GWMAs are the Eastern Shore GWMA and the Eastern Virginia GWMA (see: GWMA
    map). For a detailed description of the revisions to Virginia groundwater management
    regulations, CLICK HERE.

    NEW! The Virginia Department of Planning and Budget has released an Economic Impact
    Analysis of the proposal to expand the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area.
    CLICK HERE

    State Water Supply Planning Regulation
    This regulation was developed to implement the mandate of Senate Bill 1221 (2003, c.
    227, SB1221), which requires that" "The Board, with the advice and guidance from the
    Commissioner of Health, local governments, public service authorities, and other
    interested parties, shall establish a comprehensive water supply planning process for the
    development of local, regional and state water supply plans consistent with the provisions
    of this chapter." Virginia's water quantity management is summarized by Scott Kudlas,
    director of water supply planning for VDEQ. CLICK HERE.

    State Water Supply Plan Advisory Committee; Senate Bill 569 established.
    Establishes the State Water Resources Plan Advisory Committee to assist the Department of
    Environmental Quality (DEQ) in the development and implementation of the state water
    resources plan. The Director of DEQ is to appoint the members of the Committee who will be
    representatives of various stakeholder groups, including water users, water providers,
    agricultural, conservation, and environmental organizations, state and federal agencies, and
    university faculty.

    Largest Water User on Virginia Coastal Plain Closes
    International Paper shuttered its Franklin (VA) paper mill in June. For decades the mill was that
    largest withdrawer of groundwater on the Virginia Coastal Plain, pumping as much as 35
    million gallons of water a day. The mill stopped producing paper in May. The company has not
    yet announced plans for the plant. One option being entertained is to convert the facility to a
    power plant.

    Real-Time Groundwater Levels from the USGS (by county)
    This site displays groundwater hydrographs from 120 sites throughout Virginia. Scroll down
    to the county that you want and click on one of the well sites. Now included is the new
    groundwater observation well on Surprise Hill (Northumberland County).
    For a map showing the locations of the State Groundwater Observation Wells, click here.

    State Water Report 2009
    This annual report, submitted to the Governor and the Virginia General Assembly in
    accordance with Chapter 3.2 of Title 62.1 of the Code of Virginia, describes the status of the
    Commonwealth’s surface and ground water resources, provides an overview of climate
    conditions and impacts on water supplies in the Commonwealth, and provides an update on
    the Commonwealth’s Water Resources Management Program for Calendar Year 2008.