SB 732

Groundwater management areas

Designation

This bill establishes standards and a process for designating areas in this state

as groundwater management areas. The standards vary depending on whether an

area has a confined aquifer or an unconfined aquifer. An aquifer is a water-bearing

geologic formation. A confined aquifer has a layer (of rock, for example) above it

through which water does not pass easily. An unconfined aquifer does not have such

a layer above it. The standards for designating an area with a confined aquifer as

a groundwater management area are related to groundwater and well water levels.

The standards for designating an area with an unconfined aquifer as a groundwater

management area are related to stream and water table levels.

This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to regularly examine

areas that may qualify for designation as groundwater management areas. The

department must first consider three specific areas for possible designation as

groundwater management areas: one area in and adjacent to Brown County; one

area in and adjacent to Waukesha County; and the area known as the central sands

region. A person may petition DNR for an area to be designated as a groundwater

management area, which DNR must then consider. If DNR concludes that an area

qualifies as a groundwater management area, DNR may, by rule, designate the area

as a groundwater management area.

After DNR designates an area as a groundwater management area, it must

establish a target date by which it is reasonable to expect that groundwater

conditions in the area will improve to the point that the area will no longer qualify

as a groundwater management area. DNR must also designate conditions to balance

groundwater consumption and groundwater replenishment so that there are no

significant adverse environmental impacts to surface water or groundwater

(sustainable hydrologic conditions).

Planning

This bill requires DNR to develop and adopt a groundwater management plan

for each designated groundwater management area. The groundwater management

plan must be designed to protect surface water and groundwater and to ensure that

by the target date the area no longer qualifies as a groundwater management area.

The groundwater management plan must contain measurable goals, requirements

for reporting to DNR, water conservation measures, opportunities for public

participation in implementing the plan, and any other provision that DNR

determines is necessary to meet the designated sustainable hydrologic conditions.

If, in preparing a groundwater management plan, the department conducts

evaluation or modeling of the area, the evaluation and modeling must follow the

same parameters as the recently completed Little Plover River study, and must use

the model that resulted from the Little Plover River study, if applicable.