Currently, water management decisions related to flood control, drainage, and water supply planning are the responsibility of a number of different state and local entities. These agencies employ different procedures and apply different standards to the decisions they make. And there is no comprehensive plan for securing water supply. The new draft legislation would establish an Indiana Water Management Authority to consolidate permitting and planning decisions. The Administrator of the Water Management Authority, in partnership with nine regional water management councils, would also be tasked with developing a statewide policy plan for Indiana’s water resources. This draft legislation has been introduced in the Indiana House of Representatives by Representative Mike Karickhoff and in the Indiana Senate by Senator Richard Young.
