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Technical Investigations Highlight: Metro Model <br />Through the Council's water supply planning activities since 2005, <br />the Council and its stakeholders have a better understanding of <br />shared resources and challenges. <br />One project that highlights cumulative and long-term changes to <br />aquifers (the water supply source for 75% of the metro area <br />population) is the regional groundwater flow model — Metro Model <br />(versions 2 and 3). <br />Partners <br />The technical advisory group providing guidance during this project <br />included representatives of the University of Minnesota, University of <br />Wisconsin, MN Department of Health, MN Department of Natural <br />Resources, MN Department of Agriculture, MN Pollution Control <br />Agency, MN Geological Survey, U.S. Geological Survey, City of <br />Woodbury, Dakota County, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux <br />Community, and the consulting firms Antea Group, Braun Intertec, <br />HDR, and LGB. <br />Objective <br />Help address a broad range of regional planning questions and to <br />be as flexible as practical to accommodate new questions or <br />scenarios, while still incorporating the best available data. Some <br />examples of questions the model is intended to help address <br />include: <br />LOCAL SUPPORT <br />FOR COUNCIL <br />GROUNDWATER <br />MODELING <br />"Encourage the <br />continued development <br />of a metropolitan <br />groundwater model, as <br />a tool to define aquifers <br />and aquifer recharge <br />areas and as a basis <br />for aquifer protection <br />and management." <br />Bloomington 2040 <br />Comprehensive Plan <br />Update <br />• Given projected water demands, what impacts may be expected on groundwater levels and <br />groundwater -dependent surface -water features? <br />• What combinations of source aquifers, well locations, and withdrawal rates can be used to <br />achieve sustainable water consumption? <br />Metro Model is a fundamental part of the Council's water supply planning efforts. It has also served as a <br />starting point for other local and subregional modeling efforts such as local wellhead protection planning <br />and groundwater modeling in the northeast metro groundwater management area. <br />PDCJ aquifer change: <br />2010 vs. 2040 <br />pumping <br />— Over 40 feet of <br />rebound <br />— No change <br />in Over 40 feet of <br />— decline <br />20% <br />Figure 12. Model -projected water level change in the Prairie du Chien -Jordan (PDCJ) aquifer — which is used by most communities in <br />the Twin Cities metro area — based on estimated 2040 groundwater pumping rates (left), 20% less than the 2040 estimate (middle), <br />and 20% more than the 2040 estimate (right). <br />Page - 23 I METROPOLITAN COUNCIL <br />