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Technical investigations provide a foundation for <br />planning and implementation <br />Since 2005, the Council has worked with its partners to develop and <br />maintain a base of technical information including analyses of <br />surface and groundwater availability, water demand projections, <br />water withdrawal and use impact analyses, modeling, and similar <br />studies. <br />In its technical work, the Council taps into extensive scientific and <br />engineering expertise available in the region through contracts with <br />engineering consultants, partnerships with academic institutions and <br />the research branches of water agencies, and engineering and <br />research support from across all divisions of the Council itself. The <br />work — guided by MAWSAC, TAC, subregional water supply work <br />groups, and others as appropriate — shapes regional policy plans, <br />the Master Plan, and local programs and projects. <br />Technical investigation milestones <br />2005-2020 <br />2009-2017 <br />2010 and 2020 <br />2015-2020 <br />2013-2020 <br />Projects to collect and analyze new geologic, <br />water level, and water chemistry information <br />improve the conceptual understanding of <br />groundwater and surface water sources. <br />Examples: 2007 mapping of metro surficial <br />geology and geochemistry; 2009 synoptic <br />groundwater measurement of the metro area; <br />2015 analysis of enhanced recharge potential. <br />WORKING <br />TOGETHER FOR <br />SHARED <br />RESOURCES <br />"Council funding of <br />studies and projects <br />was important because <br />it isn't always easy to <br />get local city councils to <br />commit funds to <br />something that reaches <br />beyond their borders." <br />Steve Albrecht, Former <br />Burnsville Public Works <br />Director <br />Developed and updated a regional groundwater flow model (Metro Model 2 and 3) to <br />understand the cumulative and long-term implications of planned growth and related <br />water demand. <br />Evaluations of groundwater and surface water interaction to better understand <br />potential water supply impacts of regional growth, land use changes, and climate <br />change. <br />Guided by water supply work groups and partners, completed subregional analyses of <br />alternative water supply approaches, to inform future planning and project scoping. For <br />example, in 2016 the Council and partners completed evaluations of recharge and <br />stormwater reuse in the northeast, northwest, and southeast metro areas. <br />Water demand management analyses, including 2014 assessment of industrial water <br />conservation barriers and opportunities, 2016 water billing analysis, 2018 study of <br />efficient water use on Twin Cities metro area lawns). This work supports new <br />programs such as Freshwater Society's Master Water Stewards Water Conservation <br />Advisors, University of Minnesota Extension Turfgrass research and education. <br />For a more detailed list of technical investigation activities, see Table 4 in the appendix. <br />Page - 11 I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL <br />