Composition of Ground Water Advisory Committees (GWACs)

Irrigated & Dryland Agriculture GWAC 

Dairy, Feedlot & Cattlemen GWAC 

Sprayfields & Wastewater Management GWAC 

Environment & Recreation GWAC 

Urban & Rural Residential GWAC 

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(3) indicates one representative from each of the three GWMA counties: Adams, Franklin and Grant.  Composition of Ground Water Advisory Committees  

The five Ground Water Advisory Committee (GWAC) interest groups follow directives from the Boards of County Commissioners and GWAC Executive Board.  These directives outline the component of the Ground Water Management Plan each group will produce:

 Irrigated and Dryland Agriculture GWAC

• Directive:  Produce a plan component recommending systems of best management practices (BMPs) as applied to dryland and irrigated farming and how these impact nitrate in ground water.  BMPs will be related to fertilizer use and irrigation water management.  

• Who serves:  Agricultural producers from the seventeen Columbia Basin Community Producer Groups, representatives from irrigation districts, the Washington Wheat Growers Association, the fertilizer industry, the Potato Commission, the Farm Bureau, and Washington State University.

Urban and Rural Residential GWAC

• Directive: Submit plans as applied to urban and residential activities and how they impact nitrate in ground water. Address urban and suburban nitrate use, waste treatment including onsite septic systems, and wellhead protection for small water systems and domestic wells. Take the lead in addressing public health issues. 

• Who serves:  Members of the general public, small water system users, Health department officials, professional planners, homebuilders, and city council representatives.

 Sprayfields and Wastewater Management GWAC

• Directive: Recommend BMP's as applied to wastewater and sprayfield application and how they impact nitrate in ground water.  The committee's component of the plan will be constrained by the discharge permits already in existence for food processors and municipal wastewater treatment. 

• Who Serves: Representatives from food processors and municipal wastewater treatment facilities.

Dairy, Feedlot, and Cattlemen GWAC

• Directive: Recommend BMPs for the handling of animal wastes as applied to large dairies and animal feedlots.  For dairies and feedlots, existing regulations and permit standards will likely guide BMP recommendations. 

• Who serves:  Dairy and feedlot operators, cattlemen, and representatives from their trade associations and federations.

Environment and Recreation GWAC

•  Directive:  Provide oversight of the of the plan components devised by the other GWAC groups, reviewing them for impact on the environment and on recreation activities.  Address surface water nitrate issues and wildlife impacts.  Devise BMPs for golf courses, playing fields, greenbelts, and parks.  

• Who serves:  Environmental advocates, recreation advocates, and representatives from the general public

   The GWMA organizational structure was carefully designed to provide democratic checks and balances.  The GWAC Executive Board is the governing body of the GWMA program.  Composed of three members from each GWAC interest group, its membership is balanced to provide equal representation for the GWMA counties.  It is in the executive board meetings that the separate interest groups evaluate and approve each group’s recommendations.  In turn, the Boards of County Commissioners review the actions of the executive board.