Title
Resolution forming the Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee and authorizing the appointment of members to said Committee.
Staff Summary
• The Lake County Board selected Water Supply Planning as one of its top Strategic Initiatives for 2008 and 2009, and the Integrated Water Resources Group or IWRG, a multi-departmental committee, was formed to begin work on water supply planning in Lake County.
• The IWRG hosted two Lake County Water Forums which resulted in three main water initiative recommendations: 1) research leading water conservation measures, 2) further study the geology and water supply of Lake County, 3) formation of a Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee.
• The IWRG conducted extensive research about water resources and developed a report that outlined the State of Lake County Water Supply, including further definition of what we know and don’t know about our supply.
• Research lead to the IWRG working with the Illinois State Geologic Survey (ISGS), which has been partnering with the U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS), to complete the mapping of Lake County geology through the collection of high-quality data to create detailed 3-D geologic maps of the glacial deposits and the bedrock surface.
• Simultaneously, the North West Lake County Lake Michigan Water Planning Group has been meeting regularly to develop plans and seek Lake Michigan Water Allocations from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for communities located in the north and western portions of the County.
• There is a need for a representative group to coordinate and effectively work together on the varied water supply planning efforts and water supply issues affecting Lake County communities; therefore, the Water Formation Group representing various water stakeholders met to develop a recommendation for a Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee.
• The resolution establishes the Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee, the membership categories, initial membership, and a draft work plan.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board selected Water Supply Planning as one of their Strategic Initiatives for 2008 and 2009; and
WHEREAS, in response to the Board’s direction, the Integrated Water Resources Group (IWRG) was formed to begin work on water supply planning in Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the committee hosted two Lake County Water Forums and developed a report outlining what is know and unknown about the State of Lake County Water Supply; and
WHEREAS, the survey results and input from the two Lake County Water Supply Forums indicated that Lake County water supply stakeholders seek leadership from the County in two primary areas: researching and coordinating leading practices in water conservation, and further study county geology and water supply; and
WHEREAS, the IWRG team has identified FY2008 monies to be repurposed to fund the first phase of the proposal from the Illinois State Geologic Survey for the collection of high-quality data from outcrops, drilling and geophysics with the integration of state of the art computerized mapping software and methods, to create detailed 3-D geologic maps of the glacial deposits and the bedrock surface; and
WHEREAS, the North West Lake County Lake Michigan Water Planning Group is also meeting regularly to develop plans and seek Lake Michigan Water Allocations from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for communities located in the north and western portions of the County; and
WHEREAS, there is a need to have a representative group to coordinate the many water supply planning efforts to more effectively work together on water supply issues affecting Lake County communities; and
WHEREAS, the proposed Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee will further the Lake County Water Supply Planning initiative and will acquire the data and information necessary for local government officials and other water stakeholders to make more informed decisions about water supply planning in Lake County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, that the Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee be formed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members be appointed for the first term of the Lake County Water Supply Advisory Committee.
DATED, at Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, on this 8th day of December, A.D., 2009.