Section 300. Definitions for surface water withdrawals

Part V. Surface Water Withdrawals

The following words and terms when used in this part shall have the following meanings:

"Affected stream reach" means the portion of a surface water body beginning at the location of a withdrawal and ending at a point where effects of the withdrawal are not reasonably expected to adversely affect beneficial uses.

"Agricultural surface water withdrawal" means a withdrawal of surface water in Virginia or from the Potomac River for the purpose of agricultural, silvicultural, horticultural, or aquacultural operations. Agricultural surface water withdrawals include withdrawals for turf farm operations, but do not include withdrawals for landscaping activities, or turf installment and maintenance associated with landscaping activities.

"Consumptive use" means any use of water withdrawn from a surface water other than a nonconsumptive use.

"Drought" means the declaration of a drought stage by the Virginia Drought Coordinator or the Governor of Virginia for a particular area or locality within Virginia. Drought stage declarations include watch, warning, and emergency, depending upon severity, as defined by the Virginia Drought Assessment and Response Plan dated March 28, 2003.

"Drought of record" means the time period during which the most severe drought conditions occurred for a particular area or location, as indicated by the available hydrologic and meteorologic data.

"Emergency Virginia Water Protection Permit" means a Virginia Water Protection Permit issued pursuant to § 62.1-44.15:22 C of the Code of Virginia authorizing a new or increased surface water withdrawal to address insufficient public drinking water supplies that are caused by a drought and may result in a substantial threat to human health or public safety.

"Human consumption" means the use of water to support human survival and health, including drinking, bathing, showering, cooking, dishwashing, and maintaining hygiene.

"Instream flow" means the existing volume of water flowing in a stream or water body including any seasonal variations of water levels and flow.

"Intake structure" means any portion of a surface water withdrawal system used to withdraw surface water that is located within the surface water, such as, but not limited to, a pipe, culvert, hose, tube, or screen.

"Major river basin" means the Potomac-Shenandoah River Basin, the Rappahannock River Basin, the York River Basin, the James River Basin, the Chowan River Basin, the Roanoke River Basin, the New River Basin, or the Tennessee-Big Sandy River Basin.

"Nonconsumptive use" means the use of water withdrawn from a surface water in such a manner that it is returned to the surface water without substantial diminution in quantity at or near the point from which it was taken and would not result in or exacerbate low flow conditions.

"Potomac River Low Flow Allocation Agreement" means the agreement among the United States of America, the State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the District of Columbia, the Washington Suburban Sanitation Commission, and the Fairfax County Water Authority dated January 11, 1978, consented to by the United States Congress in § 181 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976, Public Law 94-587, as modified on April 22, 1986.

"Public water supply" means a withdrawal of surface water in Virginia or from the Potomac River for the production of drinking water, distributed to the general public for the purpose of, but not limited to, domestic use.

"Public water supply emergency" means a substantial threat to public health or safety due to insufficient public drinking water supplies caused by drought.

"Section for Cooperative Water Supply Operations on the Potomac" means a section of the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin designated by the Water Supply Coordination Agreement as responsible for coordination of water resources during times of low flow in the Potomac River.

"Surface water withdrawal" means a removal or diversion of surface water in Virginia or from the Potomac River for consumptive or nonconsumptive use thereby altering the instream flow or hydrologic regime of the surface water. Projects that do not alter the instream flow or that alter the instream flow but whose sole purpose is flood control or stormwater management are not included in this definition.

"Surface water withdrawal system" means any device or combination of devices used to withdraw surface water such as, but not limited to, a machine, pump, culvert, hose, tube, screen, or fabricated concrete or metal structure.

"Variance" means a mechanism that allows temporary waiver of the generally applicable withdrawal limitation requirements or instream flow conditions of a VWP permit during a drought.

"Water Supply Coordination Agreement" means the agreement among the United States of America, the Fairfax County Water Authority, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, the District of Columbia, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, dated July 22, 1982, which establishes agreement among the suppliers to operate their respective water supply systems in a coordinated manner and which outlines operating rules and procedures for reducing impacts of severe droughts in the Potomac River Basin.

"Water supply plan" means a document developed in compliance with 9VAC25-780.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 32, Issue 21, eff. August 2, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 62.1-44.15 of the Code of Virginia; § 401 of the Clean Water Act (33 USC § 1251 et seq.).