| (3) |
Definitions. All terms used in this Section shall be interpreted
in accordance with the definitions as set forth in this Paragraph, or in any
other Paragraph of this Section:
| (a) |
"Aquifer" means a geological formation, group of such formations, or a part of
such a formation that is water bearing; |
| (b) |
"Assimilative capacity" is a
determination describing the amount of contaminant load that can be discharged
to a specific water body without exceeding water quality standards or criteria.
Assimilative capacity is used to define the ability of a water body to
naturally absorb and use a discharged substance without water quality becoming
impaired or aquatic life being harmed; |
| (c) |
"Comprehensive State-wide Water
Management Plan" is the plan provided for by O.C.G.A. § 12-5-520et
seq. whose purpose is to help guide the stewardship of Georgia's water
resources to ensure that those resources continue to support the State's
economy while maintaining healthy natural systems. The Comprehensive State-wide
Water Management Plan mandates preparation of regional Water Development and
Conservation Plans; |
| (d) |
"Consumptive use" is the difference between the total amount of water withdrawn
from a defined hydrologic system of surface water or groundwater and the total
amount of the withdrawn water that is returned to that same hydrologic system
over a specified period of time; |
| (e) |
"Consumptive use assessment" is a
determination describing the water reliably available for consumptive use over
a specified period of time from a defined hydrologic system of surface water or
groundwater sources in a dry year, beyond the quantities needed to meet flow
regime requirements or in-aquifer needs, which the Division will establish. A
consumptive use assessment will establish a baseline that may be increased
through either selected modifications of the source, such as increasing water
storage capacity, or supplementing the source. This baseline for the water
available from each water source will be provided for the purposes of regional
planning. Water use above the baseline defined by the dry year consumptive use
assessments may be permitted by the Division in normal and wet years; |
| (f) |
"Director" is the Director of the
Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural
Resources; |
| (g) |
"Division" means the
Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural
Resources; |
| (h) |
"Dry year" means the
time period of lowest precipitation and/or streamflow for which water supply
and wastewater facilities are designed and operated; |
| (i) |
"Flow regime" is a description of the
pattern of flow variability for an individual surface water source. Flow regime
involves the magnitude, timing, duration, frequency and rate of water
movement; |
| (j) |
"Future" means the
time period over which one might reasonably forecast water uses and
users; |
| (k) |
"Human use" refers to
all the ways in which water is employed for human benefit, including, without
limitation, public health purposes, human consumption, agricultural and
industrial production, recreation, municipal, and commercial purposes. This
list of uses is not in priority order and does not alter priorities for water
use established by the Georgia Code; |
| (l) |
"Hydrologically connected" means the
situation in which defined surface areas and/or subsurface areas drain to
common points or regions under natural conditions; |
| (m) |
"Instream uses" means all those human and
ecological uses of water which occur within the banks of rivers and streams,
including, without limitation, waste assimilation, hydropower production,
recreation, maintenance of aquatic habitats, and support of biological
integrity; |
| (n) |
"Management
practices" are reasonable methods, considering available technology and
economic factors, for managing water demand, water supply, return of water to
its sources, and prevention and control of pollution of the waters of the
state; |
| (o) |
"Natural systems" means
the biological, ecological, and physical systems that arise and persist through
mechanisms of nature as opposed to having been designed, constructed, and
operated by mankind; |
| (p) |
"Offstream
uses" means the purposes for which water is withdrawn from streams, rivers,
lakes, or aquifers; |
| (q) |
"Stormwater" means stormwater runoff, snow-melt runoff, and surface runoff and
drainage; |
| (r) |
"Sustainable" means
using water resources to meet current needs without unreasonably foreclosing
the ability of future generations to meet their own water needs; |
| (s) |
"Water conservation" is the beneficial
reduction of water use, water waste, and water loss; |
| (t) |
"Water Development and Conservation
Plan," as provided in O.C.G.A. §§ 12-5-31(h)
and
12-5-96(e),
means a regional resource-based plan, developed in accordance with O.C.G.A.
§§ 12-5-520et
seq., that promotes the efficient use of water resources, promotes the
conservation and reuse of water, guards against a shortage of water, and is
consistent with the public welfare of the state, or an addendum to any
statutorily required water management plan(s) prepared to satisfy the purposes
of this rule and the Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan. Such plans
include water development, conservation, and sustainable use and are based upon
detailed scientific analysis of water sources, the projected future condition
of the resources, current demand, and estimated future demands on the
resources. Furthermore, as provided in the Comprehensive State-wide Water
Management Plan, such plans identify the water management practices to be
employed in each Water Planning Region to ensure that current and future needs
for water supply and assimilative capacity are met within the capacity of the
water resources; |
| (u) |
"Water
Planning Council" means a regional planning entity responsible for overseeing
the preparation of a recommended Regional Water Development and Conservation
Plan for a Water Planning Region. This includes, without limitation, those
entities to whom the Director has designated as responsible for overseeing
preparation of such plans, and any statutorily designated regional planning
entity with water management responsibilities that may include, but are not
limited to watershed, storm-water, waste-water, and water supply and
conservation management within that entity's area; |
| (v) |
"Water Planning Region" is a defined area
that includes one or more water quantity and/or quality resources; |
| (w) |
"Water resource" is a body of surface
water or groundwater that is available or potentially available for off stream
and/or instream use, including, without limitation, agricultural, industrial,
residential, recreational, or environmental activities, among others. Water
resources may include freshwater bodies, brackish waters, and ocean
water; |
| (x) |
"Water resource
assessment" is comprised of the assimilative capacity determination and the
consumptive use assessment for both groundwater and surface water for a given
area. |
| (y) |
"Water use" means
utilization of water for natural and human uses. See also human use, instream
use and offstream use; |
| (z) |
"Water
users" means those who utilize water for human uses; |
| (aa) |
"Watershed" means the land area
tributary to a given point along a stream or river; |
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