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State Water Development Commission

MINUTES OF THE

STATE WATER DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

Thursday, May 22, 1997 - 9:00 a.m. - Room 403 State Capitol



Members Present:
    Sen. John P. Holmgren, Cochair
    Rep. Evan L. Olsen, Cochair
    Sen. Leonard M. Blackham
    Rep. James R. Gowans
    Rep. Bradley T. Johnson
    Rep. Brad King
    Mr. Kevin Brown (representing
        Dianne Nielson)
    Ms. Jan Ellen Burton
    Mr. Don Christiansen
    Mr. Thad Erickson
    Mr. Ivan Flint
    Ms. Natalie Gochnour
    Mr. Cary Peterson
    Mr. Ted Stewart
    Mr. Ron Thompson
    Mr. Thorpe Waddingham



Members Excused:
    Sen. Mike Dmitrich
    Mr. Tom Christensen

Members Absent:
    Rep. J. W. "Bill" Hickman
    Mr. Joseph Beykirch
    Mr. Irvin Haws
    Mr. Dallin Jensen
    Mr. Sam Taylor

Staff Present:
    Ms. Constance C. Steffen,
        Research Analyst
    Ms. Jeanenne B. Larson
        Associate General Counsel
    Ms. Joy L. Miller,
        Secretary


     Note:    A list of others present and a copy of materials distributed in the meeting are on file in the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel.


1.    Committee Business - Chairman Olsen called the meeting to order at 9:15 a.m.

     MOTION: Mr. Christiansen moved to approve the minutes of October 15, 1996. The motion passed unanimously. Rep. King was absent during the vote.

2.    Water Supply Update - Mr. Randy Julander, NRCS, distributed information on the state's snowpack for the year. He explained that the temperature sequence this year has been ideal in getting the snowpack off the mountains with a minimal amount of damage. The state is averaging double and triple the amount of snowmelt it normally receives during May. Mr. Julander said the streamflow forecasts indicate that the northern part of the state is 130-180% of average. The southern area of the state started off above normal but the streamflow will not be what was expected. Mr. Julander indicated that in most cases the state should have more than adequate reservoir storage for the upcoming year. Water has been actively diverted out of Bear Lake since January in order to make room for the anticipated flows. High stream flows are now rapidly filling Bear Lake. It is hoped to fill the lake to within 100,000 acre feet of its capacity. Mr. Julander stated that the current level of the Great Salt Lake is 4202.3.

     3.     Population and Water Demand Update - Ms. Gochnour distributed information on Utah economic and demographic projections. She stated that Utah's population will reach 3,000,000 by the year 2014. Average population growth is anticipated to be 2.2 percent each year with the southwest part of the state posting the largest growth rates at 3.9 percent. Utah's employment is expected to grow by approximately 2.7 percent per year from 1990 to 2020. The construction business is projected to have the highest employment growth rate. It is projected that there will be a slight decline in agriculture employment.

    Mr. Peterson commented that, at today's growth rate, in 32 years the state will have 4,000,000 people. If land is used as it has been in the past, Utah will be out of the prime agriculture land business in order to accommodate the growth. He said although the agriculture employment rate has decreased, production and value have increased.

    Mr. Paul Gillette, Division of Water Resources, discussed the future water demand for the Weber Basin, Jordan River Basin, and the Utah Lake drainage. Without conservation, Salt Lake County will exceed its current water supply by 2010, he noted. With conservation, the supply will last until approximately 2016.

4.    Endangered Species Mitigation Funding - Rep. Tom Hatch discussed H.B. 359, "Endangered Species Mitigation Fund." The state's share of costs for endangered species mitigation plans over the next five years will reach $40-$50 million. The Legislature was successful in creating the Endangered Species Protection Fund but was unable to put much money into it. The implementation of a royalty on brine shrimp will generate $300,000 - $400,000 per year. The original proposal called for a tax or surcharge on water delivered by public water suppliers. The proposal was defeated in committee. He asserted the state has a responsibility to put sufficient money into the fund and said he is working to develop a mechanism to create the necessary funds.

     MOTION: Mr. Christiansen moved to support Rep. Hatch in his efforts to develop a mechanism to create additional funding for the Endangered Species Mitigation Fund. The motion passed unanimously.

    Mr. Fred W. Finlinson, Utah Water Coalition, said this is a very critical issue. The coalition will be holding a meeting in Cedar City to discuss the issue.

5.     Water Development Update -     
    
    Central Utah Water Conservancy District - Don Christiansen explained how the district will pay for the 35 percent local cost share for the Central Utah Project by refinancing its debt.

    Mr. Lee Wimmer, Central Utah Water Conservancy District, said the water conservation credit program has achieved measurable success. With implemented projects they are now saving over 12,000 acre-feet. If projects selected for implementation can be funded, they should reach their goal of 50,000 acre-feet in the next 3-4 years. Information on the water conservation credit program was distributed to commission members.

    Salt Lake County and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts - Mr. Dave Ovard, Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, stated it had been anticipated that Salt Lake County would be out of water by the year 2010. However, with the revised population projections presented by Ms. Gochnour, the county will be out of water sooner than projected. They have been conducting a right-of-way study to determine how to get water down from the Bear River. Due to residential development in Weber, Davis, and Salt Lake Counties, the entire right-of-way must be acquired within the next two years. They have purchased approximately 40 percent of the land for a treatment facility to be jointly owned with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District. Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District's total estimated expenditures over the next 2-3 year period for the rights-of-way are approximately $7 million.

    Mr. Flint reported that within the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District there are areas that cannot be served without major infrastructure and improvements. There are some significant problems that need to be addressed prior to construction of a facility. He stated that it may make more sense to build a very large treatment plant to serve the needs of Davis, Weber, and Salt Lake Counties.

    Mr. Peterson recommended that there be a discussion in the future about coordinated resource management of watersheds. He stated that runoff from municipal drains are causing problems with agriculture canals and ditches and recommended the committee discuss that issue as well.

6.    Water Development Funding - Mr. Larry Anderson, Division of Water Resources, distributed information on the different water loan funds. The division estimates there will be $4.5 million available in the Revolving Construction Fund for projects this fiscal year. In the Cities Water Loan Fund there will be approximately $2.4 million available. There is $16 million available in the Conservation and Development (C & D) fund this year of which $3 million is paid to the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Account, $3.8 million is for dam safety projects, and $1.7 million is for recapitalization payments. That leaves the division approximately $7.4 million in the C & D fund available for projects.

    Mr. Kevin Brown, Division of Drinking Water, stated the Drinking Water Board is in the process of developing project priority criteria. They received 50 requests for funding totaling $85 million. The federal Safe Drinking Water Act provided the division $12.5 million this year.

The 1/8 percent sales tax money will provide another $4 million. The division has approximately $2.8 million that will roll over. The division will have approximately $18 million to fund the $85 million in requests.

7.    Dam Safety Program - Mr. Anderson, distributed information on the dam safety program. The owners of 11 dams have been notified to begin final design to bring their dams up to current standards. Twelve dams have been ranked this year and letters will be sent notifying the owners to move ahead with final design. The division estimates it will cost over $19 million to bring the 23 dams up to state-of-the-art and meet the current dam safety standards. The division is providing a minimum of an 80 percent grant to the dam owners. There are nine projects which are either currently under construction or are anticipated to be under construction this calendar year. Those nine projects will deplete all of the funding available for this year.

    Mr. Bob Morgan, Division of Water Rights, explained there are seven structures that have been ordered by the state engineer to be fixed. There is a hydrologic element as well as a seismic element that is built into the reconstruction of a dam. The division has established standards that are fair and have been incorporated in administrative rules.

8.    Other Business - The next meeting of the commission was scheduled for July 17 at 9:00 a.m.

     MOTION: Mr. Thompson moved to adjourn the meeting at 12:05 p.m. The motion passed unanimously.

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