Utah, 5 other states backed Colorado River plan; Arizona faces deadline

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Pegasus

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This is an interesting article, primarily because it states a water plan has been agreed to but says little about what is in the plan for some reason. I'm sure details will come out later - how's the saying go....."you have to sign the plan to see what's in the plan"......I think I've heard that somewhere before.....and that didn't turn out too well (IMO).

https://www.ksl.com/article/4647774...ed-colorado-river-plan-arizona-faces-deadline
 
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That’s the first thing I thought of also, but didn’t want to kick that hornet’s nest. Sq

"That includes sending water from reservoirs upstream of Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah line to keep it from dropping so low that water could not be delivered to Lake Mead."

It sounds like Colorado is going to get the stinky end of the stick. Most of the lakes in Co. won;t ever see over 50% full, if that. (except Granby & Grand Lake) Sq
 
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It will be interesting to see what has been agreed on, Utah has the most stringent water laws in the U.S.. I will be following this closely because of the implications it could have on all water users in Utah and usually not good for them when the government makes more regulations.
 
Dworwood said:
It will be interesting to see what has been agreed on, Utah has the most stringent water laws in the U.S.. I will be following this closely because of the implications it could have on all water users in Utah and usually not good for them when the government makes more regulations.
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Hmm. Utah has one of the highest per capita uses of water in the US. because of the un-metered irrigation water used for landscaping. Not sure how that could be viewed as the most stringent water laws...

https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/ar...tiest-state-wrestles-with-unmetered-water-use
 
In reading several books about the promises made in building dams, it appears to always be based on politics and money. To that premise the upper Colorado drainage states will always be outgunned. I am not a drainer by the way. This free unfettered fountain was predicted before the dams were even built on poor science and wishful runoff amounts. Here we are again rehashing the same water wars with growth out stripping supply. Remember the lower drainage states pumped their aquifers to make up shortfalls. These aquifers are not refilling. They will be looking for more water from somewhere. I wonder where? Remember the Front Range wants a pipeline from Flaming Gorge and St. George wants a pipeline from Powell. And on and on it goes. Remember...money and politics. Stay informed my fishing friends.
 
Dorado said:
Hmm. Utah has one of the highest per capita uses of water in the US. because of the un-metered irrigation water used for landscaping. Not sure how that could be viewed as the most stringent water laws...

https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/ar...tiest-state-wrestles-with-unmetered-water-use
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I didn’t say we were using our water wisely, I said we have the most complicated water laws and regulations. If you think it is easy to get water in Utah try acquiring some. I have consulted outside attorneys and have been told “Utah is the most legally regulated State in the country, with complicated laws you need a Utah water attorney”. In many western states you can drill a well without state permission and you don’t have to purchase the water rights before you can use the water. Quantity is measured by acres and acre feet required in a certain zone. In Arizona and Colorado anyone could punch a well and start pumping water for a home, not in Utah. I have been away from the five state association for about 5 years, I don’t know if that has changed but it has been in the past unregulated. Not the case in Utah and not easy to get water which you must own the rights to before a well can be drilled. Utah has taken water away from users in large quantities over the past few years. After a 100 years of having it, they now can not acquire water to replace what was taken. Drought can be a cause because of lower stream flows, they will not get it back. I don’t believe you understand the effects that can have on a farmer or user. As always there are two sides to every story, I could rant about this for hours. Lake Powell, lake Powell. Sorry Bart.
 
Dworwood said:
I didn’t say we were using our water wisely, I said we have the most complicated water laws and regulations. If you think it is easy to get water in Utah try acquiring some. I have consulted outside attorneys and have been told “Utah is the most legally regulated State in the country, with complicated laws you need a Utah water attorney”. In many western states you can drill a well without state permission and you don’t have to purchase the water rights before you can use the water. Quantity is measured by acres and acre feet required in a certain zone. In Arizona and Colorado anyone could punch a well and start pumping water for a home, not in Utah. I have been away from the five state association for about 5 years, I don’t know if that has changed but it has been in the past unregulated. Not the case in Utah and not easy to get water which you must own the rights to before a well can be drilled. Utah has taken water away from users in large quantities over the past few years. After a 100 years of having it, they now can not acquire water to replace what was taken. Drought can be a cause because of lower stream flows, they will not get it back. I don’t believe you understand the effects that can have on a farmer or user. As always there are two sides to every story, I could rant about this for hours. Lake Powell, lake Powell. Sorry Bart.
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I believe you are not informed about Colo water law - we have more water attorneys here than any other state!!! You cannot" punch a well" when and wherever you want to. An exempt "domestic use" well requires minimum 35 acres and they are limited to just enough water to satisfy estimated in-house use, and up to 1 acre of irrigation - in some areas. You also will be denied a permit if a water utility is in the area - it requires their "permission" to get one. If you want to use more, you are required to buy "augmentation" water from a reservoir to make up for your "junior" water right. It also requires going to court and getting that right. This even applies to new small ponds - you have to make up the "consumed " water - even the annual evaporation. I have been in the water resource business here for 40 years - and believe me - Colorado wins the regulation war!!! (Az and Utah are close tho!!)
 
Just an interesting side note, when I worked in the solar industry in California during the drought years, we could get all the water we needed from the farmers in the area. As long as I put a meter on my pump, and paid the farmer, I could have all the water I needed. One other thing I noticed was that when we put large solar fields in Calexico the leases or the hay growers were not renewed so the land could be used for solar. This did save some water use, but I don't know what the total picture was.
 
Bill Sampson said:
Just an interesting side note, when I worked in the solar industry in California during the drought years, we could get all the water we needed from the farmers in the area. As long as I put a meter on my pump, and paid the farmer, I could have all the water I needed. One other thing I noticed was that when we put large solar fields in Calexico the leases or the hay growers were not renewed so the land could be used for solar. This did save some water use, but I don't know what the total picture was.
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But that water percolated back into the water table. It's the water to residential that goes to the sewers. The Green Deal would turn CA into one giant solar and wind farm. Not sure where we'll get our crops when all the growing in CA is gone. Certainly won't be from the middle of the country in a 4 month deep freeze. Already we're importing a lot of our meat from Australia and New Zealand.
 
Waterbaby said:
But that water percolated back into the water table. It's the water to residential that goes to the sewers. The Green Deal would turn CA into one giant solar and wind farm. Not sure where we'll get our crops when all the growing in CA is gone. Certainly won't be from the middle of the country in a 4 month deep freeze. Already we're importing a lot of our meat from Australia and New Zealand.
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I agree that most of it percolated back into the water table, but with the high summertime temperatures, the humidity was crazy high, so some of it had to be evaporating into the air.
 
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