Water Resources

As development and population increases, so does the need to protect valuable water resources. The Washington County Regional Planning Council works to ensure that Washington County communities are prepared to deal with issues of water quality and quantity and use its resources wisely. Because land use and water quality are so tightly linked, the council sets priorities to encourage land use that also supports water protection. Currently the WCRPC is working to:

• Encourage the prioritization of land for acquisition based on its value for protection of water quality and public access.
• Work with existing research agencies (US Geological Service, Water Resources Board, and Department of Environmental Management in particular) to determine a means for measuring and monitoring the impact of increased development on water resources.
• Support partners engaged in water management work, and participate with water planning agencies to ensure a proactive strategy to address water quantity and quality.
• Support efforts to more explicitly address water resources in local comprehensive plans, and work with municipalities to adopt ordinances that support responsible and sustainable management of especially shared water resources.
• Promote dialogue on the issue of water allocation by co-sponsoring information sessions with local watershed and water interest groups.