Hearing On Great Lakes Water Use In Ashland Oct. 14

A public hearing about Great Lakes basin water use, permitting, and diversion in the state of Wisconsin will be held Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. in Ashland at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College in room 306. The hearing is sponsored by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

The topic of discussion will be proposed administrative rules that would support Gov. Jim Doyle's signing of a state act in 2008. The rules would regulate water use in Wisconsin's part of the Great Lakes basin, according to a memo drafted by Matt Frank, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.

If put into effect, the new rules would set up a statewide water conservation program, require water use registration and reporting, spur the state to plan water supply service for areas with populations of 10,000 or more people, establish a water use permit system in the Great Lakes basin, and allow for public participation in Great Lakes basin water permitting and diversion applications.

The rules would also set a fee for withdrawals of more than 50 million gallons of water per year from the Great Lakes basin, meaning from surface water or groundwater within the area of Wisconsin that drains to Lake Michigan or Lake Superior, Frank's memo explains. Revenue from that fee would be used to implement the Great Lakes Compact.

“Persons who withdraw more than 50,000,000 gallons per year within the Great Lakes basin are likely to include primarily public water systems, power companies, and other large industrial or commercial facilities,” the memo reads.

Anyone who would withdraw an average of 100,000 gallons per day or more in a 30-day period would need to register with the state, obtain a permit, submit annual reports, and be assessed a fee of $125 per year. If approved, the fees for water withdrawals would take effect on Jan. 1, 2011.

If 100,000 gallons per day withdrawal systems are located in the Great Lakes basin, then a water use permit would need to be obtained from the state for those systems on or before Dec. 8, 2011.

New withdrawals of one million gallons or more within the Great Lakes basin would need to meet certain requirements, including a demonstration of no significant adverse impact to the waters of the state, a demonstration of need, an implementation of water conservation measures, and the acquisition of necessary permits.

“In addition, as volumes of withdrawals increase, regulatory reviews of the application for withdrawal become more stringent,” the memo states.

According to a fact sheet from the Department of Natural Resources, people who use water in large quantities would be most likely affected by the rules if they were to be approved.

“Examples include public water systems, high capacity well owners, and certain people and businesses who withdraw water from lakes and streams such as fish farms and golf courses,” the fact sheet reads.

The rules would establish public participation through public notices, comment periods, and hearings of permits. Other Great Lakes states and the Canadian Provinces of Ontario and Quebec would be involved with any new or increased average water withdrawal of five million gallons per day or more in any 90-day period.

For more information, visit the DNR website, or contact Kristy J. Rogers, Water Supply Specialist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Drinking Water & Groundwater, (608) 266-9254, Kristy.Rogers@wisconsin.gov.

A fact sheet and the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board order about the rules are attached to this article.