Background and ongoing work of the research

From Water Wiki

Contents 1 Research purpose and focus 2 Framing questions and key processes to be studied 3 Involving stakeholders 4 Map of study elements 5 Report organization 6 Media coverage of the study and water allocation issues in N.C. 7 Notes

Research purpose and focus

This study’s purpose is to frame and analyze policy options for water allocation for consideration by the North Carolina Environmental Review Commission (ERC), as outlined in more detail in the contract between the ERC and the UNC School of Government. We are concerned here with a social-ecological system. The primary focus is geographically North Carolina and temporally the next fifty years, but the study will inevitably need to look at larger and smaller scales both geographically and temporally. For example, decisions by local water supply systems about their sources of water, prices for water, connections to other systems, maintenance and repair of their water infrastructure are integral parts of North Carolina's water allocation system. Those are important smaller scale concerns. Similarly, decisions by states with which North Carolina shares borders and by federal agencies affect state water allocation, as do decisions by private corporations that have no real fixed geography. Those are important larger scale concerns. There are also important short and long-term temporal scales. But the focus is North Carolina in the next fifty years. Here is an outline of the study following the resilience assessment methodology recommended by the Resilience Alliance in 2007 ^[1]

Framing questions and key processes to be studied

The scope emerged after comments on a series of framing questions were received at several public meetings around the state. The study will stay connected to present-day problems for water resources by focusing on four current problems: drought response, the capacity use area, the interbasin transfer process, and the local and state water supply planning process. These are critical components of the water allocation system  Major factors to be considered for analysis include:

• Water demand
  • Growth and demand
  • Efficiency
  • Conservation

• Water supply
  • Precipitation
  • Stream flows
  • Infiltration/recharge
  • Storage
    • Reservoirs
    • Distributed storage such as farm ponds and catchment systems
    • Aquifers (groundwater storage)
  • Reuse and reclamation of water
  • Cleanup/source protection
  • Interconnects between public water supplies

• Water monitoring and management
  • Key laws and policies
    • Registration and monitoring network
    • Flow regimes
    • Other laws including the common law
    • Other states’ status and reform efforts
    • Additional options
    • Ancillary regulations that affect water supply projects
  • Institutional capacity
    • Water suppliers
    • Local and regional planners
    • State agencies
    • Interstate and federal agencies
  • Economic features
    • Financing
    • Pricing
    • Markets

Involving stakeholders

The study will involve initial meetings with stakeholders, research and analysis by North Carolina academic institutions and other experts, presentation of an interim report to the Environmental Review Commission in 2008, further consultation with stakeholders as policy options are framed, and a final report to the ERC in 2009. Some useful guidance on navigating the consideration of policy change is provided by these authors. All proceedings will be publicly accessible on this website (the water wiki) where anyone can comment and provide further information during the entire study period.

Map of study elements

These study elements are summarized in this diagram

Report organization

This page will evolve into an outline of the October 2008 report.

Media coverage of the study and water allocation issues in N.C.

News items, editorials and other media

Notes

1. ↑ Assessing and managing resilience in social-ecological systems: A practitioners workbook Version 1.0 June 2007