Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Conservation Efforts topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council committee reports progress on conservation pilots, MSU guides and Alliance study
Summary
The Council’s conservation and efficiency committee reported hires of two MSU extension aggregation specialists, progress on a $600,000 irrigation retrofit pilot to demonstrate on‑farm water and energy savings, and an Alliance for Water Efficiency study due in August that documents sector motivations and best practices.
Emily Finnell, speaking as chair of the conservation and efficiency committee, told the council the committee has worked through an annual work plan and is tracking several funded projects intended to advance water conservation and efficiency across sectors.
Finnell said the Alliance for Water Efficiency (AWE) has completed stakeholder interviews, a literature review and initial findings on water‑use motivations and voluntary best management practices; AWE’s project is ongoing and expected to finish in August. Committee members discussed inviting the Alliance to present to the full council when their project is complete.
The committee also reported that two full‑time aggregation specialists were hired through Michigan State University Extension to help connect growers and equipment suppliers and to promote water‑conservation efficiency in agriculture and animal industries. Those educators are presenting at winter meetings and will report back in the fall.
Finnell and other committee members discussed a planned pilot of irrigation retrofits funded by the council’s earlier recommendation and EGLE appropriations. They said the pilot is another $600,000 and that EGLE will administer the grant; the committee noted that tracking has been complicated because there are two $600,000 grants under similar names in current budgets.
Committee members said the work will include demonstrations of irrigation retrofits that show water and energy efficiency savings and support outreach to growers about implementation benefits. The committee plans to meet bimonthly going forward and to debrief with MSU extension educators after field‑season results are available.
Members also discussed an early‑stage concept for a regional project on climate‑driven changes in water demand and potential migration; participants said regional partners are discussing whether to proceed and whether state funding is still needed if a regional project moves forward.
