What is the State Water Resources Plan?

The State Water Resources Plan (State Plan) compiles and analyzes information provided to DEQ by localities through their Local and Regional Water Supply Plans, Annual Water Withdrawal Reporting, and Surface and Groundwater permitting. DEQ then analyzes and models surface water and groundwater resources from the information submitted in these reports.

The first State Plan was published in 2015 and the subsequent 2020 State Plan built on this report by including water demands for 2020 and projections of future water use through 2040. The 2020 State Plan also included 20 distinct regional analyses conducted at river basin scale which allowed the evaluation of results beyond the statewide trends.

The 2020 State Plan is the most current version available. Though the 2020 plan was published five-years after the first plan, the five-year publication time frame is not mandated by law or regulation. 

2020 State Water Resources Plan

The 2020 State Water Resources Plan (State Plan) incorporated several changes which were made in response to public comments. Appendix D of the plan summarizes the comments received and DEQ's responses. 

Updates to the State Water Resources Plan Development Timeline

DEQ recognizes that the State Plan is a valuable resource; however, in order to provide the most accurate information, development of the next State Plan will be postponed until after the submission and finalization of Regional Water Supply Plans in October 2029.

In 2020, the Virginia General Assembly Session passed legislation (HB 542) requiring the State Water Control Board to adopt regulations creating regional water supply planning areas based primarily on river basins. This created 26 regional planning areas and greatly consolidated what had been a much higher number of areas. These amendments to the Water Supply Planning Regulation (9VAC25-780) became effective in October 2024.

The data provided through Regional Water Supply Plans are an integral part of the State Plan.  As such, each newly established regional planning area will need to complete and submit their respective Regional Water Supply Plans before the next State Plan can be developed.

Regional Water Supply Plans are due to DEQ in October 2029. The next State Water Resources Plan will be completed within two years of DEQ’s compliance determination for the Regional Water Supply Plans. We anticipate the next State Plan, Virginia’s first fully regional water supply plan, will be completed in 2030.

For more information on the Water Supply Planning Regulation, or the development of the Regional Water Supply Plans due October 2029, please see the Water Supply Planning Resources webpage.