This regulation establishes a process for the identification and designation of groundwater management areas and for the development of comprehensive groundwater management programs. From a general schedule of probable groundwater management areas, the department of ecology in cooperation with local government will designate specific groundwater management areas, subareas, or depth zones within such areas and will appoint a lead agency to develop a groundwater management program and an advisory committee to oversee the development of the program for each designated area. Following completion of the program and a public hearing to be held by the department of ecology, the program must be certified to be consistent with the intent of this chapter. The program will then be implemented through state regulations and local ordinances. The programs must thereafter be periodically reviewed.