Ground Water Sustainability: A White Paper
This National Groundwater Association paper on groundwater sustainability is worth reading by all who are involved in water supply issues. However, two statements regarding Illinois’ use of Lake Michigan water are misleading and one is incorrect.
On the right at the bottom of page two it states: "The region (Illinois) has reached the maximum limit of their diversion." And toward the bottom of page six at the end of the first paragraph under "Use Sources of Water Other Than Local Ground Water" it states: "The allowable diversion of Lake Michigan water is now fully allocated so no additional water can be withdrawn by Illinois."
It is true that Illinois is not permitted to divert more than 3,200 cubic feet per second of Lake Michigan water, as averaged over a forty year period. It is also true that for several years in a row, the rate of diversion exceeded that limit on an annual basis. However, to the extent that Illinois can successfully manage the use of diverted water for all of its various purposes, more water can be directed toward public water supply use. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the State agency responsible for managing the Lake Michigan diversion program and issuing public water supply allocations, has never stated that Lake Michigan water is fully allocated. While not on a large scale, it continues to receive, review and grant allocation permits to public water supplies, and it is unclear how much water might yet be available for allocation.
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Illinois State Water Survey, Contact Information University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign |
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