Emerging issue: water use and site-specific review

Michigan is required under the Great Lakes Compact and state law to manage water use in a way that protects streams and groundwater. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy oversees this process through its Water Use Program.

For large quantity water withdrawals, farmers must first use the state’s online Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool, which evaluates whether a proposed use is likely to cause harm. If the tool does not approve the withdrawal, the applicant must move into a more detailed Site-Specific Review process.

Many farmers report challenges navigating the process and have expressed concerns about how the program functions in practice, including a lack of clear explanations when withdrawals are denied or require modification, inconsistent outcomes between similar applications, and a process that can be time-consuming and difficult to navigate. There is also concern about how data is interpreted and whether current models accurately reflect local conditions across different regions of the state. As a result, many feel there is not enough transparency or consistency in the system and needs to be improved. 

Michigan Farm Bureau policy currently supports:

• Resolving water access challenges through collaborative approaches
• Basing regulation on peer-reviewed science
• Voluntary use of monitoring wells and recordkeeping
• Enhanced data collection and model updates to better predict streamflow depletion
• Use of region-specific models and privately collected data

Questions to Consider

• How can farmers maintain reliable access to water and exercise riparian rights while remaining compliant with the Great Lakes Compact and protecting Michigan’s water resources? 
• Using predictive models to estimate water withdrawal impacts makes approved uses more legally secure, but should Michigan consider a system that allows more flexibility in normal years and places restrictions during dry conditions to allow more users within a watershed? 
• How can data collection and model development be done more efficiently and effectively with more control by water users? 

Additional Resources

Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool

Water Use Advisory Council

Policy References

MFB Policy #89 Water Use and Research 

MFB Policy #90 Water Withdrawal Regulation