JEFFERSON CITY - A public meeting to develop the Missouri Water Resources Plan will be at 9 a.m. Thursday in Jefferson City.
Water plan technical workgroups will meet at the Lewis and Clark State Office Building, 1101 Riverside Drive. The meeting is open to the public. Additional information may be found at dnr.mo.gov/mowaterplan.
Missouri water resources law requires the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to develop, maintain and periodically update a state water plan to ensure Missouri's water needs will continue to be met.
Planning is critical to the future of Missouri's water resources. The Missouri Water Resources Plan helps the state be better prepared and more resilient when faced with stresses on supply caused by drought and increasing demand. It is imperative that Missouri understand and prepare for our future water needs.
The department will complete the plan with the assistance of five technical workgroups organized by water plan topic: Agricultural Needs, Consumptive Needs, Infrastructure Needs, Non-Consumptive Needs and Water Quality.
These technical workgroups provide guidance on technical analyses, give feedback on the development of technical products, identify and prioritize water resources issues, and provide recommendations on how to address those issues. The efforts of the technical workgroups are integral to the development of the plan and their input will be reflected in the final Missouri Water Resources Plan.
The technical workgroups will meet at least quarterly until the completion of the plan and periodically report their findings and recommendations to the Interagency Task Force.
The Missouri Water Resources Plan is managed by the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Kansas City and Little Rock Districts. Contractors include CDM Smith and the University of Missouri.