Ground-water-withdrawal component of the Michigan water-withdrawal screening tool

Reeves, Howard W.; Hamilton, David A.; Seelbach, Paul W.; Asher, Alan

doi:10.3133/sir20095003

Cited by 26 publications

(93 citation statements)

References 54 publications

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“…Developed by the Institute for Water Research at Michigan State University, MDNR, USGS, and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, WWAT is a tool that estimates the amount of flow of a river or stream that could be reduced (e.g., through groundwater pumping) before the species composition and abundance of fish in the river would be adversely impacted (Reeves et al 2009). The tool provides a water availability map developed from estimated index flow for the lowest summer flow month via analysis of long-term streamflow gauging stations and regression modeling from ungauged stream sites (Hamilton et al 2008), and fish response curves related to catchment area, baseflow yield, and July mean temperature.…”

Section: Groundwatermentioning

confidence: 99%

From model outputs to conservation action: Prioritizing locations for implementing agricultural best management practices in a Midwestern watershed

Legge¹,

Doran²,

Herbert³

et al. 2013

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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Many ecologically significant Midwestern rivers are heavily impacted by agriculture yet retain high value for conservation of biodiversity. To address these concerns, watershed managers promote conservation practices (e.g., use of cover crops). Yet taking action to promote implementation of these practices in a cost-effective manner across a watershed is difficult because we rarely know where practices will be most effective, or how much of a benefit will accrue as the result of implementation of a given practice. To improve targeting of conservation practice implementation in locations most beneficial to biodiversity, we propose using a flexible approach assessing fields across a watershed for contributions towards ecological outcomes. We focused on Michigan's Paw Paw River Watershed, where key concerns for biodiversity include reduced infiltration and groundwater recharge that lead to pronounced low and high flow periods, and reduced water quality due to high sediment loads. We used outputs from several existing models to identify and prioritize the agricultural fields where conservation practices will have the greatest reduction in threats to biodiversity, including estimates of the input to groundwater and reduction in sedimentation. We tested the usefulness of our approach using four scenarios for implementation of six practices that vary in terms of the concentration of the practices in areas recommended by the models. Estimates of groundwater recharge under these scenarios were compared to recharge under simulated, "historic" placement scenarios based on USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) data for applied conservation practices in the same watershed. Collectively across the six practices, the prioritized scenarios provided an increase in groundwater recharge of between 23% and 36% over the historic scenario. Results for sediment reduction were more variable, but prioritized scenarios suggested a doubling of benefit can be obtained by focusing on agricultural lands predicted to contribute the highest sediment volumes. To maximize the benefits of aggregating practices, we identified subbasins of the watershed for direct outreach to landowners based on a ranking of potential, cumulative downstream conservation benefits and on opportunity factors. As a result of this process, prioritized areas and estimates of groundwater recharge are now informing implementation of conservation practices in the Paw Paw River Watershed, an approach applicable across the region.Key words: conservation practices-groundwater recharge-modeling-quantification of benefits-sedimentationThe outcomes of agricultural conservation practices, while typically evaluated by acres implemented or similar application parameters, can be more adequately judged using quantification of ecological outcomes to provide a more meaningful indication of value and an incentive for efficient use of funding. Like most conservation challenges where resources are very limited relative to the scale of impacts, effectively protecting ...

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Section: Groundwatermentioning

confidence: 99%

From model outputs to conservation action: Prioritizing locations for implementing agricultural best management practices in a Midwestern watershed

Legge¹,

Doran²,

Herbert³

et al. 2013

Journal of Soil and Water Conservation

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“…In this work, fractional depletion is the surface water consumptive use relative to a local ecological depletion threshold and are calculated for a low flow month and for each sub‐watershed ( N = 126):

d_{T, l, m} = \frac{D_{l, m}}{T_{l, m}}

where T l , m is the ecological depletion threshold at location l [ Zorn et al , ]. The ecological depletion threshold is the maximum fraction of streamflow that can be depleted, as determined in the MIWWAT system [ Reeves et al , ]. The distribution of low‐flow month, fractional surface water depletion by sub‐watershed is illustrated in Figure .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following the methodology developed for the Michigan Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool [MIWWAT; Reeves et al , ], which has been used to screen requests to the state of Michigan for new groundwater withdrawals since 2009, the fraction of a SGW withdrawal causing an associated streamflow depletion ( α l ) for point location l is calculated using the Hunt equation [ Hunt , ]:

α_{l} = ([], erfc ((), \sqrt{\frac{S_{l} d_{l}^{2}}{4 T_{l} t}}) - \exp ((), \frac{λ_{l} t^{2}}{4 S_{l} T_{l}} + \frac{λ_{l} x_{l}}{2 T_{l}}) erfc ((), \sqrt{\frac{λ_{l} t^{2}}{4 S_{l} T_{l}}} + \sqrt{\frac{S_{l} d_{l}^{2}}{4 T_{l} t_{l}}}))

where S l is the storage coefficient of the aquifer, T l is the transmissivity of the aquifer, d l is the distance from well to adjacent streams, t l is the time from the start of pumping, λ l is the streambed conductance term, λ = Tw /10 Bb , w is the stream width, B l is the aquifer thickness, and b l is the depth to the top of the well screen. Equation assumes that the aquifer is of infinite extent and constant saturated thickness and is homogeneous, isotropic, and dominated by horizontal flow.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing the greatest Blue Economy: Water productivity, fresh water depletion, and virtual water trade in the Great Lakes basin

2016

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The Great Lakes basin hosts the world's most abundant surface fresh water reserve. Historically an industrial and natural resource powerhouse, the region has suffered economic stagnation in recent decades. Meanwhile, growing water resource scarcity around the world is creating pressure on water-intensive human activities. This situation creates the potential for the Great Lakes region to sustainably utilize its relative water wealth for economic benefit. We combine economic production and trade datasets with water consumption data and models of surface water depletion in the region. We find that, on average, the current economy does not create significant impacts on surface waters, but there is some risk that unregulated large water uses can create environmental flow impacts if they are developed in the wrong locations. Water uses drawing on deep groundwater or the Great Lakes themselves are unlikely to create a significant depletion, and discharge of groundwater withdrawals to surface waters offsets most surface water depletion. This relative abundance of surface water means that science-based management of large water uses to avoid accidentally creating "hotspots" is likely to be successful in avoiding future impacts, even if water use is significantly increased. Commercial water uses are the most productive, with thermoelectric, mining, and agricultural water uses in the lowest tier of water productivity. Surprisingly for such a water-abundant economy, the region is a net importer of water-derived goods and services. This, combined with the abundance of surface water, suggests that the region's water-based economy has room to grow in the 21st century.

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“…• inclusion of scientists on the Council itself (Table 1) and the use of agency scientists in the development of the models; there was also an explicit expectation that the science-based components would undergo rigorous peer-review (Hamilton et al, 2008;Reeves, 2008;Reeves et al, 2009;Zorn et al, 2008); • public unanimity of the scientists; although there was debate within the scientific working groups on technical issues, the scientists were in agreement on the major principles. This was reflected in their presentations to the Council, public, and legislature.…”

Section: Ihe Science-policy Relationshipmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…This model takes into account the atnount and continuity of withdrawal, plus depth of well, distance of well Itotn streatn, and aquifer properties (Reeves et al, 2009). The water withdtawal assessment tool accounts for direct surface water withdrawal by subtracting it from the amount of available water.…”

Section: Water Withdrawal Assessment Toolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Science as a fundamental framework for shaping policy discussions regarding the use of groundwater in the State of Michigan: a case study

et al. 2011

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The availability and use of freshwater is a growing concem in the United States and around the globe. Despite apparently abundant water resources, several conflicts over water use have emerged in the Great Lakes region and the State of Michigan. These conflicts re.sulted in state legislation that both addresses water withdrawal trom the Great Lakes Basin and requires the State of Michigan to begiti a proce.ss to address the sustainability of water re.sources. The former resulted in Michigan's support of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Water Resources Compact, whereas the latter resulted in the formation of a Groundwater Conservation Advisory Council. This paper focuses primarily on the Council, describing its fonnation. and the products it generated. In particular, we focus on the development of indicators of sustaitiable use of water, the creation of a water withdrawal assessment process to determine if a proposed withdrawal will create an adverse resource impact in the state, and how the lessons learned in Michigan may be applied to other units of government addressing sitnilar issues. Attention is also given to the Compact, as it provides important context for the Council's formation.

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Ground-water-withdrawal component of the Michigan water-withdrawal screening tool

Cited by 26 publications

References 54 publications

From model outputs to conservation action: Prioritizing locations for implementing agricultural best management practices in a Midwestern watershed

From model outputs to conservation action: Prioritizing locations for implementing agricultural best management practices in a Midwestern watershed

Developing the greatest Blue Economy: Water productivity, fresh water depletion, and virtual water trade in the Great Lakes basin

Science as a fundamental framework for shaping policy discussions regarding the use of groundwater in the State of Michigan: a case study

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