NC H1763

Requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop basinwide hydrologic models for each of North Carolina's 17 major river basins, prioritizing basins with high risk of water shortages.

Models must include surface water resources, groundwater resources, water transfers, ecological flow requirements, future withdrawal projections, and other relevant data based solely on public records open to public review and comment.

Department shall determine unacceptable risk of water shortage using criteria including whether river basins have sufficient surface water available yield to meet water withdrawers' needs and instream uses, with projections covering at least 30 years.

Department must develop ecological criteria in consultation with state and federal wildlife and fisheries agencies to protect the ecological integrity of each river basin and subbasin in the state.

Directs Department to work with neighboring states on shared river basins, report annually to the Environmental Review Commission on model development, and coordinate with local governments and universities to provide public access to water resource and infrastructure funding information; first report due November 1, 2011.