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Maine Agricultural Water Management Board

The Agricultural Water Management Board is a board of the Maine Department of Agriculture, authorized by 7MRSA Chapter 13. The Board is comprised of representatives from the major agricultural commodity groups engaged in irrigation, a person who understands federal wetlands permitting, an agricultural engineer, a public member and the Commissioner of the Department of Enviromental Protection.

The Agricultural Water Management Board responsibilities include:

  1. Oversee the bond funds for water source development. The Board will have to develop a model for a water use management plan. Producers will need to prepare a water use management plan in order to receive financing.
  2. Make recommendations for improvements to federal and state permitting processes for development of water sources.
  3. Work to secure more funds for water source development.
  4. Prioritize watersheds for targeted financial assistance to farmers for new water sources.
  5. Gather data on farms who wish to use, or are using, a surface water body and make requests of DEP for doing site visits to have DEP establish site specific flow standards.
  6. Work with DEP to implement the flow standards once the rules are in place. Duties will include making recommendations to DEP to grant extensions for compliance and examining violators and making recommendations to DEP on compliance.
  7. Submit a biennial on the sustainable agricultural water source program to the joint standing committees on agriculture and natural resources, by January 30, 2009.

More information on the Board and links to meetings and members can be found by clicking the links at the left.