SB367 By Senator Orr RFD Transportation and Energy Rd 1 17-MAR-16

SYNOPSIS: This bill would establish and define water basin areas of the State of Alabama. These basin areas would be used for purposes of water resource planning and management under the Alabama Water Resources Act.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

Relating to the establishment of water basin areas for the State of Alabama to be used for purposes of water resource planning and management activities under the Alabama Water Resources Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:

Section 1. (a) For purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) ALABAMA WATER RESOURCES ACT. Chapter 10B, commencing with Section 9-10B-1, of Title 9, Code of Alabama 1975.

(2) BASIN AREA. Those areas defined in and described in Section 2 that are drained by one or more rivers and its tributaries as defined by hydrologic continuity and in accordance with United States Geological Survey Watershed Boundary Dataset name and hydrologic unit code number designation at the eight-digit hydrologic unit level.

Section 2. The Alabama Basin Areas are defined as follows:

(1) Tennessee River Basin Area. All of the waters of the Tennessee River Basin including the following eight-digit hydrologic unit codes: Bear (06030006), Pickwick (06030005), Lower Elk (06030004), Upper Elk (06030003), Wheeler Lake (06030002), Guntersville Lake (06030001), and Middle Tennessee-Chickamauga (06020001).

(2) Mobile Basin Area. All of the waters of the Mobile Basin including the following eight-digit hydrologic unit codes:

a. Mobile Bay Basin: Mobile Bay (03160205) and Mobile-Tensaw (03160204).

b. Lower Tombigbee River Basin: Lower Tombigbee (03160203), Sucamoochee (03160202), and Middle Tombigbee-Chickasaw (03160201).

c. Upper Tombigbee River Basin: Noxubee (03160108), Sipsey (03160107), Middle Tombigbee-Lubbub (03160106), Luxapallila (03160105), Buttahatchee (03160103), and Upper Tombigbee (03160101).

d. Black Warrior River Basin: Lower Black Warrior (03160113), Upper Black Warrior (03160112), Locust Fork (03160111), Sipsy Fork (03160110), and Mulberry Fork (03160109).

e. Alabama River Basin: Lower Alabama (03150204), Middle Alabama (03150203), and Upper Alabama (03150201).

f. Cahaba River Basin: Cahaba (03150202).

g. Coosa River Basin: Lower Coosa (03150107), Middle Coosa (03150106), and Upper Coosa (03150105).

h. Tallapoosa River Basin: Lower Tallapoosa (03150110), Middle Tallapoosa (03150109), and Upper Tallapoosa (03150108).

i. Perdido Bay Basin: Perdido Bay (03140107) and Perdido (03140106).

j. Escatawpa River Basin - Mississippi Coastal (03170009), Escatawpa (03170008), Lower Chickasaw-Hay (03170003), and Upper Chickasaw-Hay (03170002).

(3) Southeast Alabama Coastal Plain Basin Area. All of the waters of the Choctawhatchee-Pea River Basins, the Yellow River Basin, and the Conecuh-Sepulga River Basins including the following eight-digit hydrologic unit codes:

a. Choctawhatchee-Pea River Basin: Lower Choctawhatchee (03140203), Pea (03140202), and Upper Choctawhatchee (03140201).

b. Yellow River Basin: Black Water (03140104) and Yellow (03140103).

c. Conecuh-Sepulga River Basin: Escambia (03140305), Lower Conecuh (03140304), Sepulga (03140303), Patsalgia (03140302), and Upper Conecuh (03140301).

(4) Chattahoochee Basin Area. All of the waters of the Chattahoochee River including the following eight-digit hydrologic unit codes: Chattahoochee River Basin: Lower Chattahoochee (03130004), Middle Chattahoochee to Walter F. George (0313003), Middle Chattahoochee to Lake Harding (0313002), and Chipola (03130012).

Section 3. (a) The Office of Water Resources and the Alabama Water Resources Commission shall use the basin areas as defined in Section 2 for purposes of resource planning and management activities under the Alabama Water Resources Act.

(b) To the extent appropriate, the basin areas shall be considered in local or regional water resource studies or assessments.

(c) The basin areas defined in Section 2 shall be used as part of any statewide water assessments, including any analysis of water movements throughout the state or between basin areas.

Section 4. Nothing in this act provides for any additional water regulation or permitting not provided for by law as of the effective date of this act.

Section 5. This act shall become effective immediately following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

Water and Waterways

Basin Areas

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