New Water Use Regulations
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Introduction

The Michigan Senate and House enacted new legislation to manage large water withdrawals in the state using science as the basis for policy development, including a water withdrawal assessment process for high capacity wells. A group of eight bills were approved by the Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, filed with the Secretary of State, and assigned a Public Act number. These Public Acts become part of Michigan Compiled Laws and amended Part 327 (Great Lakes Preservation) of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (NREPA), PA 451 of 1994 and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), PA 399 of 1976.

Technical Reports Technical Reports Updated

The amended portion of Part 327 of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act 451 of 1994

Streams, Small Rivers, and Large Rivers

Streams

Small Rivers

Large Rivers

Cold

         
Cold Stream segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas < 80 mi2 and cold July mean water temperatures < 63.5ºF. Cold Small River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas between 80 mi2 and 300 mi2, and cold July mean water temperatures < 63.5ºF. Because July water temperatures in a Cold-transitional Large River are only fairly cold and also diurnally (day-night) quite stable, a wide variety of fish species are found.
Cold-transitional Stream segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas < 80 mi2 and fairly cold July mean water temperatures between 63.5ºF and 67.1ºF.
Cold-transitional Small River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas between 80 mi2 and 300 mi2 and fairly cold July mean water temperatures between 63.5ºF and 67.1ºF.
   

Cool

         
Cool Small River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas between 80 mi2 and 300 mi2 and cool July mean water temperatures between 67.1ºF and 69.8ºF. Cool Stream segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas < 80 mi2 and cool July mean water temperatures between 67.1ºF and 69.8ºF. Cool Large River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas greater than 300 mi2 and cool July mean water temperatures between 67.5ºF and 69.8ºF.

Warm

         
Warm Small River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas between 80 mi2 and 300 mi2 and warm July mean water temperatures greater than 69.8ºF. Warm Stream segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas < 80 mi2 and warm July mean water temperatures greater than 69.8ºF. Warm Large River segments are defined (by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Fisheries Division) as typically having drainage areas greater than 300 mi2 and warm July mean water temperatures great than 69.8 ºF.

Webinar and Related Materials

 Webinar and Related Materials

Informational Meeting on New Water Use Legislation Presentations and Streaming Video
The following information are powerpoints in pdf and streaming video from presentations presented in August 2008.
Background - Lyndon Kelley, Extension Educator, Irrigation
 
How water quantity has been managed - Riparian Doctrine
Issues leading to new water legislation - diversions, Annex, water use conflicts
Groundwater Conservation Advisory Council
2004 Legislation - conflict resolution, mapping 2006 Legislation - no adverse resource impacts to streams and lakes
http://streaming.msu.edu/storemedia/download/mill1229/History/History-to-2006.swf
 
New Water Use Legislation - Frank Ruswick/Dave Hamilton, MDEQ
 
Summary
Index flows
Zones
Who needs to register? Who needs to get permits?
Timeline for implementation - what happens between now and February 1, 2009?
How withdrawal of bottled water is permitted
Role of water user committees
http://streaming.msu.edu/storemedia/download/mill1229/DEQ/DEQ.swf

Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool - Steve Miller, MSU Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

http://streaming.msu.edu/storemedia/download/mill1229/WWAT/WWAT-GWMAP.swf