GEOSCIENCE IMPACTS ON STATE WATER POLICY IN ALABAMA

Now more than ever, geoscience topics are appearing in the national news. Critical minerals and their impact on national security and policy, high groundwater levels that influenced the historic flooding in North Carolina following heavy rains from Hurricane Helene, or conversely, depleted groundwater levels impacting water availability across the Midwest and Western states have all been center stage across the national news cycles. All of these reflect a reactive response to potential crises eventually addressed through development of local and national policies and legislation based in part on knowledge gleaned from geologic studies. In Alabama, drought has been a driving force for water policy issues. In 2012, following an extensive drought period from 2010 through 2012, the Alabama Water Agencies Working Group (AWAWG) was formed by the Governor’s office with the goal of developing a statewide water management plan. Five state agencies, the Geological Survey of Alabama (GSA), the Department of Environmental Management, the Office of Water Resources (OWR), the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry, along with private and public stakeholders, were tasked with completing this goal. The AWAWG identified several critical issues such as data collection, inter-basin transfers, in-stream flows, drought response, and many others that would potentially impact a state water management plan. The group produced several policy documents that were sent out for comments, with the foremost being that any management plan should be based on sound science. The AWAWG was disbanded in 2017, and although a management plan was not developed, there were two significant outcomes: (1) the State Legislature passed the Alabama Drought Planning and Response Act in 2014, which led to the development of the Alabama Drought Management Plan and attendant policy in 2018, updated on a five-year cycle; and (2) groundwater and surface water resource assessments were conducted and published by the OWR and GSA in 2017 and 2018. In addition, the State contracted with the U.S. Geological Survey to update low-flow characteristics at 210 continuous record gaging stations. Statewide assessments have continued and aid the State in water resources management and policy decision making.