With over 9.5 million residents in 2010 distributed across 14 major river basins, 159 counties, over 500 cities, the establishment of the first Comprehensive State-wide Water Management Plan, and its corresponding regional water planning process, in January 2008 was an ambitious undertaking for the State of Georgia. Each of the ten water planning regions has an appointed water planning council of 30 members representing a wide range of interests, including industrial, municipal, power generation, agriculture, environmental, navigation, recreation, and flood control. The Councils have been working since 2009 to develop Regional Water Plans (RWPs) which are consistent across the State while still being reflective of the diversity of water resources and stakeholders. Each council’s recommended plan is scheduled to be considered for adoption by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division by September, 2011. Each RWP lays out a roadmap for implementing integrated and specific management practices designed to ensure each Region’s goals and visions are met over the next 40 years. The practices target four water resource areas (water conservation, water supply, wastewater, and water quality) based on the results of a series of resource assessments (surface water, ground water and assimilative capacity). This paper provides an overview of the challenges experienced during the planning process and will highlight the lessons learned in developing an RWP. Two Councils