First Meetings Of DEP Regional Water Resources Committees Jan. 14, 16 - Join Online; PA Clean Water Academy Presentation Available On State Water Plan Process:

DEP’s Office of Water Resources Planning will host the first State Water Plan regional water advisory committee meeting on January 14 in Montgomery County.

The Delaware Water Resources Regional Committee will meet at the  DEP Southeast Regional Office, 2 East Main Street in Norristown at 10:00 a.m. 

  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting.  You can also join via Conference Call: 872-240-3412, Access Code: 697-470-821.

This is the first of six scheduled meetings around the state to kick-off the State Water Plan update process.  The other meetings will be held--

-- January 16: Potomac Water Resources Regional Committee, Adams County Ag Center, 670 Old Harrisburg Road, Gettysburg. 1:00.  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting. You can also join via Conference Call: 872-240-3212, Access Code: 722-866-189..

-- January 23: Upper/Middle Susquehanna Water Resources Regional Committee, Ferguson Township Building, 3147 Research Drive, State College. 1:00.  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting.  You can also join via Conference Call: 872-240-3212, 303-518-933..

-- January 28: Ohio Water Resources Regional Committee, Westmoreland County Conservation District, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg. 10:00.  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting. You can also join via Conference Call: 646-749-3112, Access Code: 522-143-877.

-- January 29: Great Lakes Water Resources Regional Committee, Erie County Conservation District, 1927 Wager Road, Erie. 10:00.  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting. You can also join via Conference Call: 312-757-3121, Access Code: 880-453-653.

-- February 6-- Lower Susquehanna Water Resources Regional Committee, DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg. 10:00.  Click Here to join the meeting online through Go To Meeting.  You can also join via Conference Call: 312-757-3121, Access Code: 978-335-981.

State Water Plan Presentation - PA Clean Water Academy

To introduce the State Water Plan update process DEP has posted a free online interactive presentation in the Bureau of Clean Water’s Pennsylvania Clean Water Academy.

This free presentation covers--

-- The History of the State Water Plan

-- State Water Plan Update of 2009

-- Ongoing State Water Planning

-- Proposed Update Work Plan

-- Serving on a Regional Committee

-- Next Steps

Each module consists of several narrated interactive slide presentations.  The total time to view the entire course is about one hour.  

It is not necessary to register with the Clean Water Academy to view the course, but you may want to do so to be able to close the course at any time and come back where you left off(account registration and approval may take 1-2 days). 

By registering, you can also take advantage of publicly available courses that are offered.

Upon entering the course and reaching the State Water Plan Main Menu, click on “History of the State Water Plan.”.  Follow through viewing each slide presentation to complete the History module.  

Completion of the History module will bring you back to the Main Menu.  Move ahead then with the remaining modules. Complete each module in number order.

If you have registered, you may exit from the course and return later by clicking on the “Exit Course” link at the top right corner of any presentation page.

Click Here to access the presentation.  Questions should be directed to Mark Matlock at DEP by email to: marmatlock@pa.gov or call 717-783-2285.

Background

The Plan update, required every five years by Act 220 of 2002, serves as a policy and guidance document providing information, objectives, priorities and recommendations to be considered in a broad range of state, local and private water resource decisions.

The State Water Plan was last updated in 2009.

The goal of the initial meetings is to formally organize the regional water resources committees and begin a discussion of several issues to be examined in the Plan update, including--

-- Impacts of climate change on water resource availability and use and implement applicable strategies included in the 2018 PA Climate Action Plan;

-- Assessment of Stormwater Management Issues and Best Management Practices; and 

-- Discussion of Integrated Water Resources Planning.

Another goal of the Plan update is to review and finalize Critical Area Resource Plans in the Potomac and Ohio regions that were left unfinished during the 2009 update.

Also being developed is a Digital Water Atlas that will make water use information now being collected more accessible to the State Water Planning process, river basin commissions and users of water information statewide, both public and private.

This initial step in the Plan update process is expected to take 1 to 2 years, followed by a more comprehensive analysis of water resources data after the 2020 census becomes available to help identify water resource use issues and opportunities.

Committee Members Needed

Each Regional Committee and the Statewide Water Resources Committee has openings for representatives of specific sectors of water users.  The most pressing need is for members of local governments.

Click Here for a list of members needed.  If you are interested, send a letter of interest and resume to Mark Matlock at DEP by email to: marmatlock@pa.gov or call 717-783-2285 with questions.

For more background on the process for updating the Plan, for copies of past Plans and supporting documents, visit DEP’s State Water Plan webpage.  Questions should be directed to Mark Matlock at DEP by calling 717-783-2285 or send email to: marmatlock@pa.gov.

[Posted: January 11, 2020]  PA Environment Digest