New Michigan online water withdrawal tool available
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EmailEditor’s note: This article is from the archives of the MSU Crop Advisory Team Alerts. Check the label of any pesticide referenced to ensure your use is included.
Nursery
growers, farmers, and others planning to increase their irrigation
pumping capacities over 70 GPM or those planning to put in a new well or
surface water withdrawal with a pumping capacity of over 70 GPM need to
be aware of the new Michigan Water Withdrawal Tool. This tool must be
run before any new withdrawals are permitted or wells are put in. If the
new water withdrawal is approved by using the tool, it can be
registered with this new web tool.
Effective July 9, 2009, everyone will need to use the screening tool
available online at www.miwwat.org/ or request a site specific review
from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. Anyone with new
or increased withdrawals cannot have an adverse impact on the watershed
or limit the amount of water that others already using that watershed
have available.
Local well drillers and health departments will probably ask if the
withdrawal has been registered before they begin work or permits are
approved. This is all part of the Great Lakes Compact that was signed
into law last summer to prohibit diversions of Great Lakes water to
other parts of the United States. Michigan is part of the compact.
