456.14 Water resource management.

1. The state geologist shall maintain historical data, collect existing data, and compile new data regarding water resources, including surface water sources and groundwater sources, and geological formations that impact upon those water resources. Such data shall be managed in a manner that allows it to be made available for use by the department of natural resources and the public.

2. The state geologist shall measure, assess, and evaluate groundwater sources and subsurface geological formations in a manner that assists the department of natural resources in optimizing allocations and uses of groundwater sources in this state, including as provided in chapter 455B, division III, part 4. The state geologist may use data described in subsection 1 to measure, assess, and evaluate all of the following:

a. The sustainability and existing or potential vulnerabilities of groundwater sources.

b. The risk, prediction, or indication of drought, the impacts of drought, and the presence, intensity, or duration of drought conditions.

c. Subsurface geologic hazards to groundwater resources.

d. The recharge of groundwater sources, including recharge rates.

e. The presence of reserves of groundwater sources.

f. The potential of groundwater sources present in subsurface geologic formations.

3. The state geologist shall develop and use management tools, computer programming, or modeling as necessary or convenient to administer this section.

4. The state geologist shall prepare, use, and make available maps or other methods of presentation that provide for the geospatial visualization of data described in subsection 1 as necessary or convenient to administer this section.

5. Upon request by the department of natural resources, the state geologist shall assist the department in regulating water quantity from water resources as provided in section 455B.262B.

2018 Acts, ch 1167, §27

Referred to in §455B.262B

NEW section