The Michigan Water Resources Conservation Advisory Council (WRCAC) was created through Public Act 189 (2008) to serve as a representative, collaborative forum for study and evaluation of the state's water management programs. The council consists of 21 members who represent the spectrum of water use interests found across Michigan, and is administered under the Department of Natural Resources. The WRCAC will periodically provide recommendations regarding current and future state programs and legislation to state leadership. Immediate tasks of the WRCAC include: 1) evaluation of the new Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool; 2) evaluation of the overall Water Withdrawal Assessment Process; 3) recommendations for inclusion of Great Lakes, inland lakes, and other waters in the process; 4) examining any potential legal conflicts within the process; and 5) recommendations for a new state water conservation and efficiency program. The WRCAC extends the work of the prior Groundwater Conservation Advisory Council (GWCAC; January 2004 - July 2007) see www.michigan.gov/deqgwcac for history and archives.

The Water Withdrawal Assessment Tool (Assessment Tool) is designed to estimate the likely impact of a proposed water withdrawal on nearby streams and rivers. The Assessment Tool provides the user with useful information regarding the new withdrawal zones. Most notably, the Assessment Tool illustrates how a proposed withdrawal would compare to the zone lines that became effective on February 1, 2009, and that will be applied by the DEQ in determining whether a withdrawal would cause an adverse resource impact.