The Department this week published final guidelines for nominating proposed Critical Water Planning Areas where existing or future demands for water exceeds or threatens to exceed the safe yield of water available.

Nominations for CWPAs can be made by any person or organization or may be initiated by DEP or a member of a regional or the statewide water resources planning committee.

The new guidelines outline the critica DEP and the committees will use in reviewing CWPA nominations, including: size of the area, time horizon, existing and future demand for water, population projections, withdrawal and non-withdrawal uses, safe yield from available resources and others.

The guidelines specify the information required to be submitted and the steps in the nomination process.

Ultimately the Secretary of DEP makes the designation based on recommendations by the statewide water resources planning committee.

After a CWPA is designated, a detailed process is begun to do a Critical Water Area Plan to catalogue the demand or water and options available to meet that demand and a special advisory committee will be set up to help guide planning efforts.

For more information, visit the Water Resources Planning webpage and for questions contact Susan Weaver, DEP, 717-783-8055 or send email to: suweaver@state.pa.us and follow the links to the final guidance documents and the law here--

Links: Critical Water Planning Areas Guidance

Critical Water Planning Areas Guidance Summary

Act 220 Water Resources Planning Act

9/29/2006