Rappahannock River Basin Commission

Water Allocation Group was created by the Rappahannock River Basin Commission in the spring of 2000 to facilitate and encourage the planning for water allocation, including water supply and discharge in the Rappahannock. Participants include local and state

elected officials, representatives of utilities departments in the basin, local, state and federal environmental agencies and others. The Water Allocation Group is chaired by Rob Wittman, Chair of the Rappahannock River Basin Commission.

The Water Allocation Group has developed many recommendations for the Commission which have in turn been adopted and forwarded to member localities and the Commonwealth of Virginia. A major project of the Water Allocation Group was the development of the Water Supply Planning Model

The document: GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR WATER RESOURCE PLANNING was developed by the Water Allocation Group in 2001 and 2002. In December of 2002 the Commission directed that these be presented to the governing body of each member locality. In 2003 and early 2004 fifteen presentations were made by Chairman Wittman and staff. Each member locality passed a resolution expressing support for these principles.

In 2003 and 2004 the Water Allocation Group focused on groundwater. The outcome of the groups efforts was the development of recommendations titled:

Planning for Groundwater Use in the Rappahannock Basin

Groundwater Planning: Recommendations by the Water Allocation Group to the Rappahannock River Basin Commission

Information on DEQ's new Water Supply Planning Requirements