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plans that promote the protection and restoration of local and regional water resources <br /> (lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands and groundwater). <br /> • Through the review process for comprehensive plans, local water plans, and watershed <br /> management plans, make water resources management a critical part of land use <br /> decisions, planning protocols and procedures to ensure these plans are making <br /> progress toward achieving state and regional goals for protection and restoration of <br /> water resources. <br /> • Provide technical and financial assistance to local governments and other partners on <br /> water issues and water management activities. <br /> • Facilitate discussions on regional water issues that transcend community or watershed <br /> organization boundaries. <br /> • Provide technical information to watershed organizations on practices to use and <br /> incorporate into their plans that protect water quality for our water supply sources. <br /> Working toward Sustainability of our Water Supplies <br /> A sustainable water supply is vital for future economic growth while ensuring quality of life for <br /> the citizens of the region. A sustainable water supply means managing our resources in a way <br /> that ensures its availability for current and future generations, including sufficient high-quality <br /> groundwater and surface water resources to support the region's growing needs and unique, <br /> intricate ecosystems. <br /> With over half of the state's population, the region's water sources support a wide range of <br /> demands. While State statute defines the highest priority use for water as domestic <br /> (household) water supply, other uses are also critical for the region's economical growth and <br /> development. Sustainable water supply management must consider water demand for <br /> agricultural irrigation, industrial processes, power production and other uses along with <br /> domestic needs. <br /> Public water supply is the largest consumptive use of water in the region, and it is the fastest <br /> growing. About 30% of public water supply demand is met by surface water; 70% by <br /> groundwater. This represents a shift from when most development occurred in and near the <br /> central cities and residents relied mostly on surface water. Reliance on wells increased as <br /> development began to occur further from the urban core. By the 1980s, groundwater use <br /> surpassed surface water use. This has put a strain on the aquifers, water-bearing porous soil or <br /> rock strata that yield significant amounts of water to wells, most notably the Prairie du Chien <br /> aquifer. <br /> After public water supply, industrial and agricultural water demands are the biggest. The top <br /> industrial uses are petroleum processing, agricultural processing and industrial process cooling <br /> water. Although annual agricultural water use is not as high as industrial water use, summer <br /> seasonal use is very large, particularly in areas with sandy soils such as Dakota County. <br /> Managing water sustainably requires thinking and action that is broader than community or even <br /> watershed boundaries; aquifers extend many miles across the metro area and are shared by <br /> thousands of individual users. For example, the Prairie du Chien Jordan aquifer is shared by 83 <br /> communities in the metro area to supply municipal water demand (Figure 2). Other <br /> communities also rely on that aquifer to supply private water demand. <br /> 15 <br />