HISTORY

Letter from Governor Kay Ivey, November 1, 2017

There is currently no mechanism in place and no agency with responsibility to protect flowing waters in our State. In 1990, the Alabama Water Resources Study Commission warned that without action, water would become the limiting factor for growth in Alabama.  Our current law, the Alabama Water Resources Act, does not go far enough. While it created the Office of Water Resources, it did not give it the ability to protect water.  Because of the catastrophic droughts in 2007, the Alabama Legislature formed the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee for Water Policy and Management to develop a sustainable plan for Alabama.

At the recommendation of the Alabama Water Agencies Working Group, Governor Bentley convened a series of stakeholder meetings or “Focus Panels” to address several key issues involved in developing the Alabama Sustainable Water Plan including protection of flow, permitting, legal restrictions, and incentivizing conservation and efficiency. The Alabama Rivers Alliance is fully engaged in each of these panels. Additionally the Alabama Water Agencies Working Group is continuing to conduct assessments of Alabama’s water resources. Our message is that Alabama must protect the natural Chemical, Physical, and Biological Integrity of Alabama’s water resources through the development of a comprehensive sustainable water management plan. The Alabama Rivers Alliance will work to ensure that the state allocates sufficient resources to these efforts to ensure the successful development of the Alabama Sustainable Water Plan.

From 2012 through 2014, the Alabama Rivers Alliance staff traveled around the state speaking to citizens about the need for a comprehensive state water policy and conducting symposia which all Alabama citizens, stakeholders, and elected officials who wanted their voices heard in the discussion about the development of a comprehensive water management plan for our state were invited to attend. Now that the governor has taken leadership and put this process into motion, we, as concerned citizens, have a responsibility to play our part. We must insist on water for all, not water for a select few!  We must also insist on the protection of flows in our rivers to ensure that “clean water for all” continues to be possible for many generations to come.

Throughout August, momentum towards comprehensive water policy and management plan continued to move forward. There have been three public meetings held around the state emphasizing the need for everyone’s input to ensure Governor Bentley’s directive to create a December 2013 water management plan:

• August 15th: Auburn Water Resources Center Irrigation Summit was attended by more than 200 participants, including Alabama Rivers Alliance Program Director Mitch Reid. This meeting stressed the need for water management programs for farmers and irrigation. The leaders of this effort recognize the need for a comprehensive water management plan and are working in conjunction with the Alabama Water Agencies Working Group.

• August 23rd: Joint Legislative Committee on Water Policy and Management Meeting discussed the role of the committee in the upcoming legislative session. This meeting drew over 65 people and was held in Montgomery. Mitch Reid, Alabama Rivers Alliance program director, presented on our efforts to examine potential legislation that supports the governor’s directive. Other presentations highlighted the uncertainty of our current water laws and the necessity for a comprehensive water management plan that balances competing water interests.

The Alabama Water Agencies Working Group released a report, Water Management Issues in Alabama, and they need feedback. Specific comments on the Water Management Issues in Alabama document can be provided by letter, email, or in person to any member of the AlabamaWater Agencies Working Group (AWAWG). AWAWG member agencies are available to meet with you or your group in person to review the report and receive any input. If you are a member of a group, developing a consensus within your group will maximize the efficiency and impact of your input.

• We submitted our comments on November 1, 2012. Click here to read them.
• Here’s who to contact with your feedback:
  • Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry–Glen  Zorn, glen.zorn@agi.alabama.gov
  • Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources–Stan Cook, stan.cook@dcnr.alabama.gov | Taconya Gore [email protected]
    
  • Alabama Department of Environmental Management–Lance LeFleur, [email protected] | Glenda Dean [email protected]
  • Geological Survey of Alabama–Pat O’Neil [email protected] | Bennet Bearden, [email protected]
  • Alabama Office of Water Resources — Brian Atkins, [email protected] | Tom Littlepage [email protected]
  • Office of the State Climatologist — John Christy, [email protected] | Dick McNider [email protected]