History and Purpose

Virginia Ground Water Virginia Ground Water WithdrawalWithdrawal

Permitting ProgramPermitting ProgramModeling for Resource Modeling for Resource

ManagementManagement

Robin PattonRobin PattonVirginia Department of Environmental Virginia Department of Environmental

QualityQuality

RegionalRegionalFlowFlow

ModelingModeling

FieldFieldInvestigationsInvestigations

RegulationsRegulationsandand

PermittingPermittingProcessProcess


ModelingModeling


History and PurposeHistory and Purpose

Commonwealth of VirginiaCommonwealth of Virginia

Ground Water Management Ground Water Management ActAct

Google Map reference…Google Map reference…

Ground Water Management ActGround Water Management ActVirginia Code § 62.1-254 et seq.Virginia Code § 62.1-254 et seq.

The General Assembly determines that the right to reasonable The General Assembly determines that the right to reasonable control of all ground water resources within the Commonwealth control of all ground water resources within the Commonwealth belongs to the public and that in order to conserve, protect and belongs to the public and that in order to conserve, protect and beneficially utilize the ground water and to ensure the public beneficially utilize the ground water and to ensure the public welfare, safety and health, provision for management and welfare, safety and health, provision for management and control of ground water resources is essential.control of ground water resources is essential.

Originally enabled in 1973 and applicable in designated Ground Originally enabled in 1973 and applicable in designated Ground Water Management Areas [Eastern Virginia - Water Management Areas [Eastern Virginia - 9 VAC 25-600-20 9 VAC 25-600-20 et seq. and Eastern Shore - 9 VAC 25-620-10 et seq.]et seq. and Eastern Shore - 9 VAC 25-620-10 et seq.]

Revised in 1992 for issuance of permits based on need rather than Revised in 1992 for issuance of permits based on need rather than capacity and to include agriculture as regulated use.capacity and to include agriculture as regulated use.

Virginia’s Coastal PlainVirginia’s Coastal PlainHistorically providing abundant, accessible water Historically providing abundant, accessible water

resources…resources…

VirginiaVirginiaGround Ground WaterWaterManagement Management

AreasAreasInitiated by Board motion or petition received from any county, city or town in area, when…

1. GW levels are declining.

2. Well interference is occurring.

3. Supply may be overdrawn.

4. Adverse changes to water quality have occurred or are expected.







IndustrialWithdrawals

65 Mgd







IndustrialWithdrawals

65 Mgd

MunicipalWithdrawals

25 Mgd







SWI – EasternShore

Peninsula

GWMA Regulations GWMA Regulations 9 VAC 25-610-10 9 VAC 25-610-10 et seq.et seq.

Any person or entity wishing to withdraw Any person or entity wishing to withdraw 300,000 gallons per month or more in a declared 300,000 gallons per month or more in a declared

management area must obtain a permit.management area must obtain a permit.► Permits are issued for a maximum term of 10 years.Permits are issued for a maximum term of 10 years.► Authorize withdrawals by location and aquifer and Authorize withdrawals by location and aquifer and

specify maximum annual and monthly (seasonal) specify maximum annual and monthly (seasonal) withdrawal limits.withdrawal limits.

► Requires withdrawal reporting and special conditionsRequires withdrawal reporting and special conditions► Incorporates facility-specific “Water Conservation Incorporates facility-specific “Water Conservation

and Management Plan” into the permit.and Management Plan” into the permit.► Specifies mitigation area by incorporating “Area of Specifies mitigation area by incorporating “Area of

Impact” maps into the legally enforceable permit.Impact” maps into the legally enforceable permit.

Virginia’s Cooperative Virginia’s Cooperative Technical ApproachTechnical Approach

VA-DEQ Ground-Water VA-DEQ Ground-Water Modelers…Modelers…

► determine Area of Impact (1-ft drawdown determine Area of Impact (1-ft drawdown contour) for each impacted aquifer contour) for each impacted aquifer incorporating site-specific information incorporating site-specific information supplied by the applicant.supplied by the applicant. 2-Dimensional Analytic Solutions2-Dimensional Analytic Solutions Site-specific Analytical Element ModelsSite-specific Analytical Element Models Site-specific 3-D ModelsSite-specific 3-D Models Regional 3-D ModelsRegional 3-D Models

► utilize regional flow models to evaluate the utilize regional flow models to evaluate the combined effects of all lawful withdrawals combined effects of all lawful withdrawals with the proposed withdrawal to insure with the proposed withdrawal to insure resource sustainability.resource sustainability. insure prescribed drawdown limits for confined insure prescribed drawdown limits for confined

aquifers are not violatedaquifers are not violated insure water quality is not degradedinsure water quality is not degraded

The Permittee provides…The Permittee provides…

► compliance reports.compliance reports. water usewater use water levelswater levels water qualitywater quality

► aquifer information.aquifer information. aquifer testingaquifer testing cores and/or geophysical logscores and/or geophysical logs

► assistance with regional investigations.assistance with regional investigations. installation of observation well nestsinstallation of observation well nests local governments can be a funding source for local governments can be a funding source for

USGSUSGS

The USGS provides research The USGS provides research support through…support through…

► special studies.special studies. revisions to hydrogeologic frameworkrevisions to hydrogeologic framework

►CBICCBIC

water quality/levelswater quality/levels water usewater use

► development of regional flow models.development of regional flow models. synthesize information from permit investigations synthesize information from permit investigations

and monitoringand monitoring recommend improvements to modeling recommend improvements to modeling

methodolgymethodolgy

► cooperative observation well network.cooperative observation well network.

Benefits of cooperative Benefits of cooperative approachapproach

► a documented archive of resource information and a documented archive of resource information and a coordinated research program for resource a coordinated research program for resource sustainabilitysustainability

► resource/permit evaluations are conducted using resource/permit evaluations are conducted using consistent methodology that is repeatableconsistent methodology that is repeatable

► regulatory agency has the ability to evaluate regulatory agency has the ability to evaluate multiple scenarios for decision support and direct multiple scenarios for decision support and direct efforts for additional technical resourcesefforts for additional technical resources

► scientific agency receives field data from the scientific agency receives field data from the permitting process and funding support for required permitting process and funding support for required research, objectivity is maintained because no research, objectivity is maintained because no responsibility for regulatory programresponsibility for regulatory program

► regulated community involvement in the technical regulated community involvement in the technical program increases understanding resource issuesprogram increases understanding resource issues




ModelingModeling





ModelingModeling


•Water Level – Water Water Level – Water QualityQuality•StratigraphyStratigraphy

•logslogs•corescores

•Aquifer System Aquifer System HydraulicsHydraulics

•aquifer testsaquifer tests




ModelingModeling


•Water Level – Water Quality•Stratigraphy

•logs•cores

•Aquifer System Hydraulics

•aquifer tests

•Simulate the Simulate the combined combined effects of all effects of all permitspermits•Identify areas Identify areas where where additional additional management management control or control or information is information is neededneeded




ModelingModeling


•Water Level – Water Quality•Stratigraphy

•logs•cores

•Aquifer System Hydraulics

•aquifer tests

•Insure Insure information is information is obtained from obtained from priority locationspriority locations•Compliance Compliance ReportingReporting•Requirements to Requirements to determine impactsdetermine impacts

•Simulate the combined effects of all permits•Identify areas where additional management control or information is needed




ModelingModeling






•Insure Insure information is information is obtained from obtained from priority locationspriority locations•Compliance Compliance ReportingReporting•Requirements to Requirements to determine determine impactsimpacts


Ground Water Modeling Ground Water Modeling capability allows the regulatory capability allows the regulatory

agency to fulfill it’s resource agency to fulfill it’s resource management mission.management mission.

► Permit issuance requires protection of existing users Permit issuance requires protection of existing users and sustainability of the ground water resources.and sustainability of the ground water resources. ““The board shall issue a ground water withdrawal permit The board shall issue a ground water withdrawal permit

when it is demonstrated, by a complete application and the when it is demonstrated, by a complete application and the board's technical evaluation, to the board's satisfaction that board's technical evaluation, to the board's satisfaction that the maximum safe supply of ground water will be preserved the maximum safe supply of ground water will be preserved and protected for all other beneficial uses and that the and protected for all other beneficial uses and that the applicant's proposed withdrawal will have no significant applicant's proposed withdrawal will have no significant unmitigated impact on existing ground water users or the unmitigated impact on existing ground water users or the ground‑water resource.”ground‑water resource.”

► Requests that do not meet the requirements of the Requests that do not meet the requirements of the regulatory program are recommended for denial. regulatory program are recommended for denial.




ModelingModeling






IterativeIterativeCooperativCooperativ

eeProcessProcess

•Insure Insure information is information is obtained from obtained from priority locationspriority locations•Compliance Compliance ReportingReporting•Requirements to Requirements to determine determine impactsimpacts


Documents

History and Purpose