Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1 A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
2 To request the Ground Water Resources Commission, through its chair, prepare a report on
3 the state's ground and surface water resources and to provide recommendations for
4 the optimal management and protection of the state's surface water and groundwater
7 March 1, 2011.
8 WHEREAS, the water resources of the state are a precious natural resource necessary
11 which are the Red River Alluvial Aquifer, the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer, the
12 Upland Terrace Aquifer, the Chicot Aquifer System, the Chicot Equivalent Aquifer System,
13 the Evangeline Aquifer, the Evangeline Equivalent Aquifer System, the Jasper Aquifer
14 System, the Jasper Equivalent Aquifer System, the Catahoula Aquifer, the Cockfield
16 WHEREAS, the water resources of the state and the United States, generally, are in
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2 2005 Water Use in Louisiana report, approximately five hundred eighty-four thousand
4 twenty two percent of that amount being used for public supply purposes, approximately
5 eighteen percent of that amount being used for industrial purposes, approximately three
6 percent of that amount being used for rural domestic purposes, and approximately fifty-
9 2005 Water Use in Louisiana report, approximately three million one hundred seventy-five
10 hundred millions of gallons of Louisiana's surface water were withdrawn in 2005, with
11 approximately seven percent of that amount being used for public supply purposes,
12 approximately eighty percent of that amount being used for industrial purposes, little to none
13 of that amount being used for rural domestic purposes, and approximately thirteen percent
15 WHEREAS, Article IX Section 1 declares that the "natural resources of the state,
16 including … water … shall be protected, conserved, and replenished insofar as possible and
17 consistent with the health, safety, and welfare of the people. The Legislature shall enact laws
20 Commission with the authority to "continue the development … of a statewide ground water
21 resource management program that shall include but not be limited to evaluation of the
22 state's ground water resources including current and projected demands; development of a
23 water use conservation program; study of alternatives to ground water use, such as surface
24 water to include treatment and transmission systems, and reclaimed water; incentives for
26 and
28 is a member of the Ground Water Resources Commission, with the "administration of all
29 matters related to the management of the state's groundwater resources by providing for the
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1 most advantageous use of the resource consistent with the protection, conservation, and
4 Quality, which is represented on the Ground Water Resources Commission, with the
6 WHEREAS, the Legislature has empowered the Department of Health and Hospitals,
7 which is represented on the Ground Water Resources Commission, to ensure human health
8 and safety in relation to drinking water and the regulation of the treatment and disposal of
11 Development, which is represented on the Ground Water Resources Commission, with the
13 dams within the state to the extent required to protect life and property and to provide for the
14 safety and welfare of the public within the state and with the authority to plan systems of
15 inland waterways, navigation drainage; irrigation and water conservation projects; foster the
16 maintenance, improvement, and extension of the Intracoastal Canal System and its feeders;
17 and initiate, sponsor, and carry through to completion all waterway projects which will
21 controlling and supervising all wildlife of the state, including fish and all other aquatic life,
22 including the management, protection, conservation, and replenishment of wildlife, fish, and
23 aquatic life in the state. The department is also responsible for the conservation and
24 management of all renewable resources on all wildlife management areas, wildlife refuges,
25 scenic rivers, and wildlife preserves that it may own or lease; and
27 Forestry, which is represented on the Ground Water Resources Commission, to advise and
28 assist soil and water conservation districts, which administer the conservation, development,
29 utilization, and disposal of water within their districts for the benefit of local farmers; and
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3 leadership and support to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and to direct and
4 coordinate the development and implementation of policies, plans, and programs which
5 encourage multiple uses of the coastal zone and achieve a proper balance between
7 and
10 Chemical Association, the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, the Louisiana
11 Association of Business and Industry, and the Louisiana Pulp & Paper Association; the
12 Louisiana Farm Bureau; the Police Jury Association of Louisiana; Louisiana Municipal
14 Capital Area Groundwater Conservation District; individuals residing or working in the area
15 underlain by the Chicot Aquifer; the Louisiana Landowners Association; and the Louisiana
16 Wildlife Federation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and the League of Women
17 Voters; and
18 WHEREAS, from October 2008 to March 2010, the Ground Water Resources
19 Commission met seven times throughout Louisiana to learn and discuss issues involving the
22 WHEREAS, several legal opinions have been requested from the Attorney General
23 regarding water rights and related issues in the last year; and
25 and the Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources advising: that under Louisiana law
26 persons, with the possible exception of riparian landowners, are not authorized to remove
27 state owned surface water without obtaining the prior written approval of the state and
28 without paying fair value; in the event that a state agency or state political subdivision is
29 presented with a request to transfer or sell state owned surface waters within its statutory
30 jurisdiction the state agency or political subdivision should first review its statutory authority
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2 statutorily authorized, the state agency or political subdivision may enter into negotiations
3 with the private entity for the sale of state owned surface water with the understanding that
4 any such sale must be for fair value and that any agreement must be reduced to writing in
5 the form of a contract or cooperative endeavor agreement and that any such agreement is
6 subject to prior approval by the office of the attorney general and the Department of Natural
7 Resources; and
9 recommendation of the Ground Water Resources Commission, has retained the services of
10 a consultant to further study and evaluate the state's ground water resources to preserve their
12 water use and incentives conservation plan, providing alternatives to groundwater use and
13 solutions to mitigate and prevent further water level decline and water quality decline in
16 contract, under the oversight of the Department of Natural Resources, with a consultant to
17 further study and evaluate the state's surface water resources to develop a statewide reservoir
18 priority and development program, including identification of the conditions of the state's
19 nine water basins and water resource supplies and demands, the sustainable yields of
20 streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs, the development of groundwater and surface water
21 interactive models, and the development of a reservoir prioritization model and plan. The
23 and warranted.
25 request the Ground Water Resources Commission, through its chair, to prepare a report on
26 the state's water resources, both groundwater and surface water, and to provide
27 recommendations for the optimal management and protection of the state's water resources,
28 both groundwater and surface water, including but not limited to the following: the study of
29 impacts and potential impacts to water quality in surface water and groundwater, as well as,
30 current federal, state, and local efforts to protect water quality; surface water and
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2 concern as designated by the commissioner of conservation, areas of the state that have
3 experienced increased water usage associated with the hydraulic fracturing used in the
4 production of natural gas from shale-gas formations, and the areas of high water use in
5 Southwest Louisiana and the capital area region; the procedure for selling running water and
6 water in naturally navigable water bodies owned by the state for private purposes; necessary
8 for the optimal management and protection of the state's water resources, both groundwater
9 and surface water; the necessary changes to current government procedures to make the
10 management and protection of the state's surface water and groundwater resources both more
11 efficient and comprehensive; and water recycling and conservation incentives, including tax
12 incentives. The report shall be submitted to the House Committee on Natural Resources and
13 Environment and the Senate Committee on Environmental Quality no later than March 1,
14 2011.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Requests the Ground Water Resources Commission, through its chair, to prepare a report on
the state's groundwater and surface water resources and to provide recommendations for the
optimal management and protection of the state's water resources to be submitted to the
House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment and the Senate Committee on
Environmental Quality no later than March 1, 2011.
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