TDEC wants to help Cumberland County plan for its water future, through the new Plateau Water Planning Partnership
The initiative follows a similar model used for the Duck River Partnership to balance conservation with rapid regional growth. TDEC Division Of Water Resources Director April Grippo said it is vital for the region to establish water supplies that are resistant to emergencies.
“One of the things that we are working on there is how to be resilient to drought,” Grippo said. “You know, we’re seeing more frequent and more intense droughts all across Tennessee. And so having water supplies that are drought resistant and resilient for those type of emergencies is very important to us.”
Grippo said the group will evaluate opportunities to strengthen water supplies for growth while identifying specific utility needs. The first strategic milestone is to bring representatives together for a kickoff meeting by mid-January. The team will then conduct a large-scale data search to calculate current water volumes and estimate future needs.
“I think that having so many different partners that are representing different interests or maybe have different information or data to share, I think that has been so key to the success in the Duck,” Grippo said. “I really think that’s going to be what brings us to a lasting solution up in the Cumberland as well.”
The department traditionally used water withdrawal permits as a primary tool to protect river volumes and aquatic habitats. The new partnership aims to get ahead of those regulatory pieces by forecasting water demand decades into the future.
The department is also interested in supporting grant programs with other state agencies using federal funds. These financial tools are intended to incentivize water systems to work together more closely.
“If you are able to organize and maybe cut down on overhead costs and those types of things, but I think also very important is that resiliency of if there is a flood or a drought, who can you turn to to get water to your customers and our neighbors?”
The department saw the necessity of these interconnections firsthand during the response to Hurricane Helene in East Tennessee. The partnership will look at a menu of options including emergency interconnections, selling water between systems, or consolidating under a regional water authority.
The partnership is scheduled to submit a final report and recommendations to the state legislature in November 2027.
