Office of Water Resources
ADECA’s Office of Water Resources monitors the state’s water resources throughout the year and during periods of flood, drought and normal conditions. The office is supported by three primary units. They include:
- The Water Management Unit
- The Flood Management Unit
- The Interstate Water Issues Unit
Water Management Unit
The Water Management Unit is responsible for monitoring Alabama’s groundwater and surface water inventories.
As part of the responsibility, the Water Management Unit has two main programs: the Alabama Water Reporting Program and the Alabama Drought Planning and Response Program.
The Water Use Reporting Program requires businesses and industries that use large quantities of water to report their water usage from the previous year. Reports are submitted between March and June of each year. The information helps OWR and other interested entities monitor water use trends across the state including where and when water demand is the highest. That data is stored on eWater, a data management system that has served the state well during its time in use.
However, a newer system, in use since October 2025, provides more significant data and an easier process. Water users can now file their reports electronically. The new system, developed by OWR staff along with ADECA and state technology programmers and Laserfiche Corp., is expected to improve program efficiency and customer interactions.
The Drought Planning and Response Program is guided by a specialized committee composed of members who have vested interest in water resources. The committee meets several times over the course of a year, but more regularly during dry periods, to monitor drought situations throughout the state.
In response to drought conditions, OWR periodically updates the state’s drought management plan, which outlines state government’s role in tracking and responding to drought and its impact on the state. The plan outlines the role of state government in tracking drought conditions and coordinating responses to mitigate drought impacts.
Also, as part of the drought program, OWR established the Drought Assessment and Planning Team. The team works in coordination with input from the Monitoring and Impacting Group, a technical committee composed of agency representatives, reservoir operators, stakeholders and governor’s appointees. The group provides periodic updates for the Alabama Drought Declaration, which communicates current and projected drought conditions and contributes input to the U.S. Drought Monitor Map.
The Office of Water Resources regularly conducts meetings to monitor the state’s water resources. In case of drought, an advisory committee can make recommendations on how to reduce negative effects of the lack of rain.
Floodplain Management Unit
Serving as Alabama’s coordinating office for the National Flood Insurance Program, OWR’s Floodplain Management Unit partners with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as well as municipalities and counties to ensure compliance with floodplain management and flood insurance regulations.
The Floodplain Management Unit works with FEMA to make sure regional flood maps are current and accurately reflect any changes in waterways and surrounding landscape, both of which have an impact on flood zones. The unit is currently updating flood-plain mapping in 13 watershed districts across the state.
In accordance with an executive order by Gov. Kay Ivey, the OWR unit has teamed up with offices within the Alabama Departments of Insurance and Finance to ensure that state owned properties adhere to flood insurance guidelines. The coordination helps maintain the state’s eligibility for future federal insurance benefits.
Interstate Water Issues Unit
OWR’s Interstate unit continues to provide vital information in negotiations and litigation measures involved in protecting the state’s water interests. The unit provides technical analysis of water allocation issues regarding water-right claims with the state of Georgia and the U.S. Corps. of Engineers involving the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa and the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basins.
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