Catawba Wateree Water Management Group 2015 Annual Report

Integrated Water
Resources PlanPractical Solutions for a Sustainable Future

The Catawba-Wateree Water Management Group (CWWMG) is updating its long-range Water Supply Master Plan (WSMP) for the Catawba-Wateree River Basin (Basin). The original WSMP was published in May 2014 and updated in June 2015. This plan explored how to extend the safe yield of the Catawba-Wateree River and the eleven associated impoundments beyond the year 2100. Safe yield is the maximum amount of water that can be extracted from the Basin during a critical drought.

The CWWMG is committed to periodically updating the WSMP as part of an on-going water resources planning process. At least every 10 years, the States of South Carolina and North Carolina work with the CWWMG to provide updates on water flow in the Catawba-Wateree River. These updates are supported by regulatory authorities in both states and were stipulated in the 2010 settlement agreement of the U.S. Supreme Court case S.C. v. N.C., Original No. 138. Click here to read more about the original 2014 Water Supply Master Plan.

Watch for progress updates on the IWRP work in this space and the Calendar of Activities page.

Draft Integrated Water Resources Plan – Now Available for Review

After five years of work, we are proud to share the Draft Integrated Water Resources Plan (IWRP) for public review. The Draft IWRP reflects collaboration among CWWMG member organizations, technical experts, and basin partners, and represents a shared effort to understand long-term water quantity and water quality challenges and opportunities. This document is the result of sustained technical analysis and coordinated stakeholder engagement conducted across the basin over the past five years.

By posting the draft for review, CWWMG is inviting general feedback to help confirm the Plan’s overall direction and ensure it reflects basin-wide priorities before it is finalized and brought forward for adoption.

Comments will be accepted through April 15, 2026. During this comment period, CWWMG will also be scheduling presentations with member governing boards and key stakeholders to explain the contents of the Draft Plan and support informed feedback.

General comments may be submitted by email to sara.yeh@hdrinc.com.

Download the Draft Plan

IWRP Purpose and Framework

A key focus for the CWWMG in 2020-2021 was to develop a vision, plan, and scope for the WSMP update. As a result of these initial activities, the WSMP was rebranded as the Catawba-Wateree Integrated Water Resources Plan (IWRP), to better represent our approach to long-term planning.

To chart the strategic direction for the IWRP, the CWWMG hosted four workshops in October 2020 with over 70 participants and gathered over 150 ideas. Participants identified six categories for future study, including: Communication & Education, Implementation & Evaluation Mechanisms, Water Quality, Collaboration & Consistency, Water Quantity and Future Planning.

This visioning and planning work also recommended a phased approach to the IWRP over the next five years to align with the CWWMG funding and 5-year Projects Strategic Plan. Click here to review a summary of the IWRP Framework and 5-Year Schedule.

Project Team

The CWWMG has contracted with a team of consultants comprised of HDR Engineering, RTI International, Catawba-Wateree Initiative, William A. Kreutzberger, and the Water Center at the University of Pennsylvania to conduct technical research and development for the IWRP.

In addition to member involvement, input, and oversight during plan development, the CWWMG assembled a Stakeholder Advisory Team (SAT) to ensure a broad level of input from a diverse group of key organizations having an interest in the future planning efforts for the Basin.