To determine the water issues that the study committee should consider, a list of water issues facing Georgia was developed. Issues were drawn from the White Paper prepared by the Board of Natural Resources, from other documents, from study committee and advisory committee members, and others. The intent was to cast the net broadly to identify all water issue areas facing the state. From this list, the study committee could identify those issues on which to focus its attention in order for the state water planning process to move forward.

A total of 42 water issues facing Georgia were identified through this process.

Water Issues Facing the State of Georgia
(As adopted 11/09/01)

1. Wastewater Capacity in Growth Areas
2. Improvement of Old Water and Sewer Infrastructure
3. Attaining Water Quality Standards/TMDLs
4. Cost-Effective Stormwater Solutions
5. Septic Tank Installation and Maintenance
6. Protection and Management of Georgia's Aquifer Recharge Areas
7. Source Water Assessment/Protection
8. Protection, Conservation, and Restoration of Wetlands, Marshlands, and other Aquatic Ecosystems
9. Water as a Public Resource versus a Market Commodity
10. Allocating/Reallocating Water among Users
11. Allocation of State Water to Private Entities for Resale
12. Legal Status of Water Withdrawals, Permits, and Transfers
13. Legal Status of the Water in Aquifers While in the Ground and Following Withdrawal
14. Interbasin Water Transfer and Basin-of-Origin Protection
15. Water for Agricultural Use
16. Statewide Water Conservation and Efficiency
17. Water Reuse
18. Consumptive Use Measurement and Reduction
19. Instream Flow Protection Standards and Strategy
20. Priorities for Water Use during Drought
21. Irrigation Efficiency and Research
22. Overdraft of the Floridan Aquifer/Salt Water Intrusion
23. Water Supply Reservoirs
24. Aquifer Storage and Recovery
25. Flood Mitigation, Floodplain Management, and Dam Safety
26. Lake Protection and Management
27. Development/Implementation of Erosion and Sedimentation Control Improvements
28. State and Substate/Regional Water Management Options
29. Privately-Owned Public Water Systems
30. Interstate Water Issues
31. Real-Time Water Management
32. Water Management with Increased Variation in Weather Patterns
33. Interagency Coordination
34. Enforcement
35. Water Quality, Quantity, and Biotic Integrity Monitoring
36. Data Management Systems
37. Public Information and Involvement
38. Statewide Watershed Management and Assessment Information/Standards
39. Increase Funding and Personnel for Water Resources Administration, Including Monitoring
40. Availability and Use of Federal Funding for Water-Related Activities
41. Water for Energy Production Systems
42. Water Security

At the November 9, 2001, meeting, the study committee identified three issue areas needing further study before September 2002; others will be included for consideration in the planning process.

• Water Rights Structure (comprising the following issues)
• Water as a public resource versus a market commodity
• Allocating /reallocating water among users, including public supply, industrial, agricultural, energy production, assimilation capacity, and instream uses
• Allocation of state water to private entities for resale
• Legal status of water withdrawals, permits, and transfers
• Legal status of water in aquifers while in the ground and following withdrawal
• Interbasin Water Transfer and Basin-of-Origin Protection
• State and substate/regional water management options (comprising the following issues)
• State and substate/regional water management options
• Interagency coordination