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CE 2031 WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING

UNIT III WATER RESOURCE NEEDS

Consumptive and non-consumptive water use - Estimation of water requirements for
irrigation, for drinking and navigation - Water characteristics and quality – Scope and aims
of master plan - Concept of basin as a unit for development - Water budget and
development plan.

Consumptive water use:

 Consumptive water use is water removed from available supplies without return to
a water resource system (e.g., water used in manufacturing, agriculture, and food
preparation that is not returned to a stream, river, or water treatment plant).

 Evaporation from the surface of the earth into clouds of water in the air which then
falls to the ground as "rain" is excluded from this model.

 Crop consumptive water use is the amount of water transpired during plant growth
plus what evaporates from the soil surface and foliage in the crop area.

 The portion of water consumed in crop production depends on many factors,

especially the irrigation technology.

Non-consumptive water use:

 Non consumptive water use includes water withdrawn for use that is not consumed,
for example, water withdrawn for purposes such as hydropower generation.
 This also includes uses such as boating or fishing where the water is still available for
other uses at the same site.
 The terms Consumptive Use and Non consumptive Use are traditionally associated
with water rights and water use studies, but they are not completely definitive.
 No typical consumptive use is 100 percent efficient; there is always some return flow
associated with such use either in the form of a return to surface flows or as a ground
water recharge.
 Nor are typically non consumptive uses of water entirely non consumptive.
 There are evaporation losses, for instance, associated with maintaining a reservoir at a
specified elevation to support fish, recreation, or hydro-power, and there are
conveyance losses associated with maintaining a minimum stream flow in a river,
canal, or ditch

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Irrigation Water Requirements

Introduction
 Irrigated agriculture is facing new challenges that require refined management and
innovative design.
 Formerly, emphasis centered on project design; however,current issues involve
limited water supplies with several competing users, the threat of water quality
degradation through excess irrigation, and narrow economic margins.
 Meeting these challenges requires improved prediction of irrigation water
requirements.
 Irrigation water requirements can be defined as the quantity, or depth, of irrigation
water in addition to precipitation required to produce the desired crop yield and
quality and to maintain an acceptable salt balance in the root zone.
 This quantity of water must be determined for such uses as irrigation scheduling
for a specific field and seasonal water needs for planning, management, and
development of irrigation projects.
 The amount and timing of precipitation strongly influence irrigation water
requirements. In arid areas, annual precipitation is generally less than 10 inches and
irrigation is necessary to successfully grow farm crops.
 In semiarid areas (those typically receiving between 15 to 20 inches of annual
precipitation), crops can be grown without irrigation, but are subject to droughts that
reduce crop yields and can result in crop failure in extreme drought conditions.
 Subhumid areas, which receive from 20 to 30 inches of annual precipitation, are
typically characterized by short, dry periods.
 Depending on the available water storage capacity of soils and the crop rooting depth,
irrigation may be needed for short periods during the growing season in these areas.
 In humid areas, those receiving more than 30 inches of annual precipitation, the
amount of precipitation normally exceeds evapotranspiration throughout most of the
year.
 However, drought periods sometimes occur, which reduce yield and impair quality,
especiallyfor crops grown on shallow, sandy soils or that have a shallow root system.
 Irrigation is not needed to produce a crop in most years, but may be needed to protect
against an occasional crop failure and to maintain product quality.

Irrigation requirements
 The primary objective of irrigation is to provide plants with sufficient water to obtain
optimum yields and a high quality harvested product.
 The required timing and amount of applied water is determined by the prevailing
climatic conditions, the crop and its stage of growth, soil properties (such as water
holding capacity), and the extent of root development.
 Water within the crop root zone is the source of water for crop evapotranspiration.

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 Thus, it is important to consider the field water balance to determine the irrigation
water requirements.
 Plant roots require moisture and oxygen to live.
 Where either is out of balance, root functions are slowed and crop growth reduced.
 All crops have critical growth periods when even small moisture stress can
significantly impact crop yields and quality.
 Critical water needs periods vary crop by crop.
 Soil moisture during the critical water periods should be maintained at sufficient
levels to ensure the plant does not stress from lack of water.

The calculation of irrigation water requirements

 Delineation of major irrigation cropping pattern zones.

 These zones are considered homogeneous in terms of types of irrigated crops grown,
crop calendar, cropping intensity and gross irrigation efficiency.
 Represented on the map of Africa, they should be viewed as regions where some
homogeneity can be found in terms of irrigated crops.
 The cropping pattern proposed for the zone should be viewed as representative of an
'average' rather than a 'typical' irrigation scheme.
 Definition of the area of influence of the climate stations (in GIS) and quality check
on the climate data.
 Combination of the irrigation cropping pattern zones with the climate stations' zones
(in GIS) to obtain basic mapping units.
 Calculation of net and gross irrigation water requirements for different scenarios.
 Comparison with existing data and final adjustment.

Delineation of irrigation cropping pattern zones

 The criteria used for the delineation of the irrigation cropping pattern zones were, in
order of decreasing importance: distribution of irrigated crops, average rainfall trends
and patterns, topographic gradients, presence of large river valleys (Nile, Niger,
Senegal), presence of extensive wetlands (the Sudd in Sudan), population pressure,
technological differences and crop calendar above and below the equator (Zaire).
 The starting point was the type of irrigated crops currently grown in Africa.
 This resulted in 18 zones.
 From these zones, sub-zones showing a different cropping intensity or a different crop
calendar were defied.
 This resulted in a total of 24 irrigation pattern zones which are considered to be
homogeneous for:

• crops currently grown;

• crop calendar;
• cropping intensity.

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 Only the main crops currently grown, those occupying at least 85% of the irrigated
area, were considered.
 Land occupation of the remaining 15 % by secondary crops was assigned to the main
crops.
 An 'average' typical monthly crop calendar was assigned to each zone, based on work
done by FAO's global information and early warning system, and on information from
the reference library of FAO's agro-meteorology group, AQUASTAT and, for eastern
Africa, from the IGADD crop production system zones inventory.
 For each crop the actual cropping intensity was derived from national crop production
and land use figures extracted from the FAO AGROSTAT [6] and AQUASTAT [21a]
databases.
 It ranges from 100 to 200%, according to the crop calendar.
 The cropping intensity to be used in this study of irrigation potential ('potential'
scenario) was generally estimated by increasing current values by 10 to 20%, but it
was assumed that because of market limitations the current high intensity (in relative
terms) of vegetables in certain parts of the continent would not be found in the
potential scenario.
 Therefore, intensities of cereal crops are higher in the potential scenario than in the
actual situation.

Water characteristics and quality:

 Physical characteristics
 Chemical characteristics
 Biological characteristics
Physical characteristics

Turbidity
 the clarity of water Transparency of natural water bodies is affected by human
activity, decaying plant matter, algal blooms, suspended sediments, and plant
nutrients
 Turbidity provides an inexpensive estimate of total suspended solids
 TSS concentration Turbidity has little meaning except in relatively clear waters
but is useful in defining drinking-water quality in water treatment measures
how deep a person can see into the water
Total Solids (TS) - the total of all solids in a water sample
Total Suspended Solids (TSS) - the amount of filterable solids in a water sample,
filters are dried and weighed

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Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) - Non filterable solids that pass through a filter with a
pore size of 2.0 micron, after filtration the liquid is dried and residue is weighed EPA
Secondary Drinking Water Recommendation is for TDS of less than 500mg/L
Volatile Solids (VS) - Volatile solids are those solids lost on heating to 500 degrees C
- rough approximation of the amount of organic matter present in the solid fraction of
wastewater

CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Commonly measured chemical parameters are:
– pH
– Alkalinity
– Hardness
– Nitrates, Nitrites, & Ammonia
– Phosphates
– Dissolved Oxygen & Biochemical Oxygen Demand
pH:
The pH of water determines the solubility of many ions and biological
availability of chemical constituents such as nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen, and
carbon) an heavy metals (lead, copper, cadmium)
Hardness
 Hard water is found in about 85% of USA.
 Prevents lathering/sudsing - hotter water and extra rinse cycles may be
required
 Fabric appearance declines & life may be reduced
 Minerals may clog pipes & cause excessive wear on moving parts
Solutions:
– Distill water to remove the calcium and magnesium
– Soften the Water - Replaces calcium and magnesium ions with
sodium or potassium ions

Cation exchange
Strong adsorption » » » Weak adsorption
Al+3 > Ca+2 > Mg+2 > K + = NH4+ > Na + >H +
Nitrogen
 Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78.1% of the Earth’s atmosphere

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 An essential nutrient required by all plants and animals for formation of

amino acids (the molecular units that make up protein) N must be "fixed"
(combined) in the form of ammonia (NH3) or nitrate (NO3) to be used for
growth
– N2 + 8H+ + bacteria = 2NH3 + H2
– NH3 + O2 + bacteria = NO2- + 3H+ + 2e-
– NO2- + H2O + bacteria = NO3- + 2H+ +2e-
 Ammonia NH3 (extremely toxic) continually changes to ammonium NH4
+ (relatively harmless) and vice versa, relative concentration depends on
temperature & pH At higher temperatures and pH, more N is in the ammonia
form
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL):
nitrite-N : 1 mg/L
nitrate-N : 10 mg/L
nitrite + nitrate (as N) : 10 mg/L
Sources:
Fertilized areas; Sewage disposal; Feed lots; N cycle

PHOSPHATES
 Secondary Drinking Water Standard EPA recommendation– total
phosphate should be <0.05 mg/L (as phosphorus) in a stream where it
enters a lake or reservoir
 total phosphate should not exceed 0.1 mg/L in streams that do not
discharge directly into lakes or reservoirs
Sources:
 Erosion; Fertilizer; Sewage; Feed lots; Detergents

Dissolved Oxygen
 Dissolved Oxygen DO mg/L – only gas routinely measured in water
samples (depends on temperature, salinity, and pressure)
 Analysis should be performed on site immediately after sampling
 Oxygen enters the water by photosynthesis of aquatic biota transfer
across the air-water interface
 DO < 5mg/L stresses aquatic life (the lower the concentration, the greater
the stress)
Biological Characteristics
 Harmless bacteria ~ present in large numbers
 in feces and intestinal tracts of humans and
 other warm-blooded animals
Environmental Impact
 indicator of contamination with human or animal fecal material
 may indicate contamination by pathogens or disease producing

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 bacteria or viruses
Criteria
 Swimming ~ fewer than 200 colonies/100 mL
 Fishing and boating ~ fewer than 1000 colonies/100 mL
 Domestic water supply ~ fewer than 2000 colonies/100 mL
 Drinking water 0 colonies/100mL
Biological Oxygen Demand
 Biological Oxygen Demand is a measure of oxygen used by
microorganisms to decompose organic waste (add a microorganism seed
to all samples seal sample dead plants, leaves, samples, from air, store in
dark to prevent photosynthesis, subtract seeded control, measure
decrease in DO)
 Nitrates & phosphates are plant
 nutrients so may contribute to high
 BOD levels When BOD levels are high, dissolved
 oxygen decreases ⇒ fish and other grass clippings, manure, sewage, or
food waste aquatic organisms may not survive
An index of the degree of organic pollution in water
BOD level of 1-2 ppm - very good
BOD level of 3-5 ppm - moderately clean
BOD level of 6-9 ppm - somewhat polluted

Concepts for Planning Water Resources Development

Instructional Objectives
On completion of this lesson, the student shall be able to know:
1. Principle of planning for water resource projects
2. Planning for prioritizing water resource projects
3. Concept of basin – wise project development
4. Demand of water within a basin
5. Structural construction for water projects
6. Concept of inter – basin water transfer project
7. Tasks for planning a water resources project
Introduction
 Utilization of available water of a region for use of a community has perhaps
been practiced from the dawn of civilization.
 In India, since civilization flourished early, evidences of water utilization has
also been found from ancient times.
 For example at Dholavira in Gujarat water harvesting and drainage systems
have come to light which might had been constructed somewhere between
300 1500 BC that is at the time of the Indus valley civilization.
 In fact, the Harappa and Mohenjodaro excavations have also shown scientific
developments of water utilization and disposal systems.
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 They even developed an efficient system of irrigation using several large

canals. It has also been discovered that the Harappan civilization made good
use of groundwater by digging a large number of wells.
 Of other places around the world, the earliest dams to retain water in large
quantities were constructed in Jawa (Jordan) at about 3000 BC and in Wadi
Garawi (Egypt) at about 2660 BC.
 The Roman engineers had built log water conveyance systems, many of
which can still be seen today, Qanats or underground canals that tap an
alluvial fan on mountain slopes and carry it over large distances, were one of
the most ingenious of ancient hydro-technical inventions, which originated in
Armenia around 1000BC and were found in India since 300 BC.
 Although many such developments had taken place in the field of water
resources in earlier days they were mostly for satisfying drinking water and
irrigation requirements.
 Modern day projects require a scientific planning strategy due to:
o Gradual decrease of per capita available water on this planet and
especially in our country.
o Water being used for many purposes and the demands vary in time
and space.
o Water availability in a region – like county or state or watershed is not
equally distributed.
o The supply of water may be from rain, surface water bodies and
ground water.

Water resources project planning

 The goals of water resources project planning may be by the use of
constructed facilities, or structural measures, or by management and legal
techniques that do not require constructed facilities.
 The latter are called non-structural measures and may include rules to limit or
control water and land use which complement or substitute for constructed
facilities.
 A project may consist of one or more structural or non-structural resources.
Water resources planning techniques are used to determine what measures
should be employed to meet water needs and to take advantage of
opportunities for water resources development, and also to preserve and
enhance natural water resources and related land resources.
 The scientific and technological development has been conspicuously evident
during the twentieth century in major fields of engineering.
 But since water resources have been practiced for many centuries, the
development in this field may not have been as spectacular as, say, for
computer sciences.
 However, with the rapid development of substantial computational power
resulting reduced computation cost, the planning strategies have seen new
directions in the last century which utilises the best of the computer resources.
 Further, economic considerations used to be the guiding constraint for
planning a water resources project.
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 But during the last couple of decades of the twentieth century there has been
a growing awareness for environmental sustainability. And now,
environmental constrains find a significant place in the water resources
project (or for that matter any developmental project) planning besides the
usual economic and social constraints.
Priorities for water resources planning
 Water resource projects are constructed to develop or manage the available water
resources for different purposes.
 According to the National Water Policy (2002), the water allocation priorities for
planning and operation of water resource systems should broadly be as follows:

Domestic consumption This includes water requirements primarily for drinking,

cooking, bathing, washing of clothes and utensils and flushing of toilets.
Irrigation
Water required for growing crops in a systematic and scientific manner in areas
even with deficit rainfall.
Hydropower
This is the generation of electricity by harnessing the power of flowing water.
Ecology / environment restoration
Water required for maintaining the environmental health of a region.
Industries
The industries require water for various purposes and that by thermal power
stations is quite high.
Navigation
Navigation possibility in rivers may be enhanced by increasing the flow, thereby
increasing the depth of water required to allow larger vessels to pass.
Other uses
Like entertainment of scenic natural view.

Water budget and development plan.

 A ground-water system consists of a mass of water flowing through the

pores or cracks below the Earth's surface.
 This mass of water is in motion.
 Water is constantly added to the system by recharge from precipitation,
and water is constantly leaving the system as discharge to surface water
and as evapotranspiration.
 Each ground-water system is unique in that the source and amount of
water flowing through the system is dependent upon external factors
such as rate of precipitation, location of streams and other surface-water
bodies, and rate of evapotranspiration.
 The one common factor for all ground-water systems, however, is that
the total amount of water entering, leaving, and being stored in the
system must be conserved.
 An accounting of all the inflows, outflows, and changes in storage is
called a water budget.

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 Human activities, such as ground-water withdrawals and irrigation,

change the natural flow patterns, and these changes must be accounted
for in the calculation of the water budget.
 Because any water that is used must come from somewhere, human
activities affect the amount and rate of movement of water in the system,
entering the system, and leaving the system.
 Some hydrologists believe that a pre-development water budget for a
ground-water system (that is, a water budget for the natural conditions
before humans used the water) can be used to calculate the amount of
water available for consumption (or the safe yield).
 In this case, the development of a ground-water system is considered to
be "safe" if the rate of ground-water withdrawal does not exceed the rate
of natural recharge.
 This concept has been referred to as the "Water-Budget Myth"
(Bredehoeft and others, 1982). It is a myth because it is an
oversimplification of the information that is needed to understand the
effects of developing a ground-water system.
 As human activities change the system, the components of the water
budget (inflows, outflows, and changes in storage) also will change and
must be accounted for in any management decision.
 Understanding water budgets and how they change in response to
human activities is an important aspect of ground-water hydrology;
however, as we shall see, a predevelopment water budget by itself is of
limited value in determining the amount of ground water that can be
withdrawn on a sustained basis.

Ground-Water Budgets

 Under predevelopment conditions, the ground-water system is in long-term

equilibrium.
 That is, averaged over some period of time, the amount of water entering or
recharging the system is approximately equal to the amount of water leaving
or discharging from the system.
 Because the system is in equilibrium, the quantity of water stored in the
system is constant or varies about some average condition in response to
annual or longer-term climatic variations.
 This predevelopment water budget is shown schematically
 We also can write an equation that describes the water budget of the
predevelopment system as:

Recharge (water entering) = Discharge (water leaving)

 Humans change the natural or predevelopment flow system by

withdrawing (pumping) water for use, changing recharge patterns by
irrigation and urban development, changing the type of vegetation, and
other activities.
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 Focusing our attention on the effects of withdrawing ground water, we

can conclude that the source of water for pumpage must be supplied by

(1) more water entering the ground-water system (increased recharge),

(2) less water leaving the system (decreased discharge),

(3) removal of water that was stored in the system, or some

combination of these three.

Pumpage = Increased recharge + Water removed from storage +

Decreased discharge.

 It is the changes in the system that allow water to be withdrawn.

 That is, the water pumped must come from some change of flows and
from removal of water stored in the predevelopment system (Theis, 1940;
Lohman, 1972).
 The predevelopment water budget does not provide information on
where the water will come from to supply the amount withdrawn.
 Furthermore, the predevelopment water budget only indirectly provides
information on the amount of water perennially available, in that it can
only indicate the magnitude of the original discharge that can be
decreased (captured) under possible, usually extreme, development
alternatives at possible significant expense to the environment.

Ground-Water Systems Change in Response to Pumping

 Consider a ground-water system in which the only natural source of

inflow is areal recharge from precipitation.
 The amount of inflow is thus relatively fixed.
 Further consider that the primary sources of any water pumped from this
ground-water system are removal from storage, decreased discharge to
streams, and decreased transpiration by plants rooted near the water
table.
 If the above-described ground-water system can come to a new
equilibrium after a period of removing water from storage, the amount of
water consumed is balanced by less water flowing to surface-water
bodies, and perhaps, less water available for transpiration by vegetation
as the water table declines.
 If the consumptive use is so large that a new equilibrium cannot be
achieved, water would continue to be removed from storage. In either
case, less water will be available to surface-water users and the
ecological resources dependent on stream flow.

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 Depending upon the location of the water withdrawals, the headwaters of

streams may begin to go dry. If the vegetation receives less water, the
vegetative character of the area also might change.
 These various effects illustrate how the societal issue of what constitutes
an undesired result enters into the determination of ground-water
sustainability.
 The tradeoff between water for consumption and the effects of
withdrawals on the environment often become the driving force in
determining a good management scheme.
 In most situations, withdrawals from ground-water systems are derived
primarily from decreased ground-water discharge and decreased ground-
water storage.
 These sources of water were thus emphasized in the previous example.
Two special situations in which increased recharge can occur in response
to ground-water withdrawals are noted here.
 Pumping ground water can increase recharge by inducing flow from a
stream into the ground-water system.
 When streams flowing across ground-water systems originate in areas
outside these systems, the source of water being discharged by
pumpage can be supplied in part by streamflow that originates upstream
from the ground-water basin.
 In this case, the predevelopment water budget of the ground-water
system does not account for a source of water outside the ground-water
system that is potentially available as recharge from the stream.
 Another potential source of increased recharge is the capture of recharge
that was originally rejected because water levels were at or near land
surface.
 As the water table declines in response to pumping, a storage capacity
for infiltration of water becomes available in the unsaturated zone. As a
result, some water that previously was rejected as surface runoff can
recharge the aquifer and cause a net increase in recharge.
 This source of water to pumping wells is usually negligible, however,
compared to other sources.

HIGH PLAINS AQUIFER

 The High Plains is a 174,000-square-mile area of flat to gently rolling

terrain that includes parts of Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico,
Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
 The area is characterized by moderate precipitation but generally has a
low natural recharge rate to the ground-water system.
 Unconsolidated alluvial deposits that form a water-table aquifer called the
High Plains aquifer (consisting largely of the Ogallala aquifer) underlie the
region.
 Irrigation water pumped from the aquifer has made the High Plains one
of the Nation's most important agricultural areas.
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 During the late 1800's, settlers and speculators moved to the plains, and
farming became the major activity in the area.
 The drought of the 1930's gave rise to the use of irrigation and improved
farming practices in the High Plains (Gutentag and others, 1984).
 Around 1940, a rapid expansion in the use of ground water for irrigation
began. In 1949, about 480 million cubic feet per day of ground water was
used for irrigation.
 By 1980, the use had more than quadrupled to about 2,150 million cubic
feet per day (U.S. Geological Survey, 1984).
 Subsequently, it declined to about 1,870 million cubic feet per day in
1990 (McGuire and Sharpe, 1997).
 Not all of the water pumped for irrigation is consumed as
evapotranspiration by crops; some seeps back into the ground and
recharges the aquifer.
 Nevertheless, this intense use of ground water has caused major water-
level declines and decreased the saturated thickness of the aquifer
significantly in some areas
 These changes are particularly evident in the central and southern parts
of the High Plains.

Scope and aims of master plan

 Virtually everything that society does, and has done, on the surface of the
land has impacted our water resources.
 Water and community are linked and interdependent elements that
combined have shaped the landscape of Prince George’s County.
 Historically, the natural waters of the county have stimulated growth and
economic development and have influenced the evolution of our
communities and neighborhoods.
 Similarly, the advancement and expansion of society has impacted and
affected natural waters in numerous respects.
 Today it is attainable and necessary to maintain the growth and vitality of
our county, while sustaining the integrity of the natural water resources
that support our existence.
 The natural environment of Prince George’s County is rich in diversity
and provides economic and social, as well as environmental, resources.
 The county has large and small rivers; streams and tributaries; mature
woods; farmland; floodplains; tidal and nontidal wetlands; habitats of rare,
threatened, and endangered species; and steep and gentle slopes that
make up its physical form.
 This natural landscape sustains the hydrologic system that provides
drinking water, absorbs waste, and manages stormwater consumed and
produced by our land uses.

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 Preservation of the natural, environmental, and water resources of

Prince George’s County is a necessary priority in order to sustain existing
development, allow for growth and change, and adapt to future
conditions.
 This Water Resources Functional Master Plan (Water Resources Plan)
has been prepared in conformance with state requirements and
guidelines as an amendment to the 2002 Prince George’s County
Approved General Plan.
 The Water Resources Plan is a policy document that is formally adopted
by the Planning Board and approved by the strategies to assist the
county, state, and federal agencies, communities, citizens, and others in
making informed decisions about growth and development, land
preservation, environmental and water resource protection, and the
infrastructure needed to support sound land use.
 The Water Resources Plan strives to support contemporary water
resource protection policies and strategies, incorporate natural resource
and land

 preservation programs, enumerate coordination and communication

opportunities, and maintain supportive planning processes.
 The plan was assembled to provide an assessment of the impacts of
existing and future land use on county water resources, including drinking

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water and wastewater supply and demand capacities, and point source
and nonpoint source impacts to streams and local tributaries.
 Multiple resources were consulted including studies, research, and
reports produced by federal, state, local, and nonprofit agencies that
address water resource protection as policy, planning, programs, and
partnerships.
 The task of creating sustainable communities is daunting but achievable.
 This plan organizes an approach to water resource sustainability that
clarifies the county’s intent to prioritize water resource protection,
identifies issues and regulations critical to water resource preservation
and restoration, and provide a framework for establishing the criteria
necessary to achieve and evaluate our success toward meeting this
objective.
 Community engagement reflected the draft proposed goals, concepts,
and guidelines and the public participation program established at the
initiation of the Water Resources Functional Master Plan by the County
Planning Board and County Council in September and October 2008.
 The public outreach process began with a countywide public forum on
November 20, 2008, and culminated in a final public presentation on
March 18, 2009.
 Comments on, and inputs to, the draft plan recommendations were also
received through focus groups, telephone surveys, and web page e-mails
and surveys.
 Public comment was summarized in writing and evaluated by staff to
establish priority goals and plan recommendations.

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 The Water Resources Plan has incorporated differing growth and

development directives into modeling scenarios to determine water
quality impacts associated with development patterns. An ideal growth
pattern was based on state smart growth policies, the county priority
funding areas and proposed priority preservation areas.
 The modeling decisions for the ideal growth pattern regarding land
preservation, conservation, and growth boundaries reflect the policies of
the Approved Countywide Green Infrastructure Plan and the 2008 Water
and Sewer Plan.
 The Water Resources Plan is intended to help inform planners, plan
reviewers, permitting and implementation agencies, the county citizenry,

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and the development community to achieve and maintain healthy water

resources for the current and future citizens of Prince George’s County.
 It is the intent of this plan to advocate for smart growth strategies, to
establish development capacities, to incorporate environmental site
design, and preservation, conservation, and restoration programs into
countywide growth policies in the interest of maintaining healthy and
sufficient water resources for the county and its municipalities.
 The Water Resources Plan broadly supports the General Plan, and its
core policies and recommendations for the county to guide decisions
about growth and development.

 The Water Resources Plan promotes source and receiving water

protection and use and demand management of water resources.
 Through conservation and efficiency recommendations, this plan
establishes achievable sustainability goals for water resources in Prince
George’s County.
 Public drinking water availability has been

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PLAN PURPOSE
 The purpose of the Water Resources Plan is to evaluate existing growth
and anticipated future development and consider any impacts to, and
demands on, water resources, drinking water, wastewater, and
stormwater.
 The Water Resources Plan provides growth guidance expressed as
goals, policies, and strategies to address water quality impacts
associated with land use in the county.
 The creation of this Water Resources Plan will assure that the Prince
George’s County’s General Plan fully integrates water resource issues
and planning solutions into its overall mission and addresses the
relationship between planned growth and the area’s water resource
demands and capacities.

 This Water Resources Plan shows how drinking water supplies,

wastewater effluents, and stormwater runoff can be anticipated and
managed to support planned and existing growth.

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 Water resource limitations include finite source water supplies and

thresholds on wastewater and stormwater discharge based on the
assimilative capacity of the receiving watersheds.
 The identification of limitations and/or opportunities in the planning
process ensures that the Water Resources Plan is realistic and
environmentally
 The purpose of the Water Resources Plan is to:
 Ensure a safe and ample supply of drinking water from both surface and
groundwater sources and adequate treatment of wastewater.
 Minimize the nutrient loading impacts to our groundwater, streams, rivers,
and the Chesapeake Bay from the uses we employ on our land.
 Improve data collection and promote a watershed planning process to
achieve a desirable balance of sustainable growth and preservation of
the Chesapeake Bay.
 Provide water resources data that can be transparently interpreted to
establish growth area boundaries, inform land-use recommendations,
and target preservation/ conservation/restoration areas.
 Drinking Water Supply—Production capacity of drinking water supply
facilities; protection of source waters, headwaters, aquifers, and the
quality and quantity of receiving waters; water appropriation permit limits;
and drinking water resource availability during drought.
 Wastewater Treatment—Treatment and allowable discharge capacity of
wastewater systems; wastewater management through alternate
distribution technologies; inspection and maintenance of existing and
proposed public and private wastewater systems; location and
implementation of advanced wastewater treatment septic systems;
expansion or restriction of public sewer systems; and prevention of public
sewer overflows and wastewater treatment system failures.
 Stormwater Management—Current and proposed stormwater
management systems and practices; water quality protection in receiving
waters, headwaters, wetlands, aquifers and groundwater; stream
morphology, ecosystems, woodlands and tree canopy preservation and
restoration; policy support and implementation strategies for
environmental site design; support for conservation, preservation, and
restoration programs; and community engagement and education to
maintain and/or improve water quality.

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