2007 Water Law &Policy Seminars

The Water In Your FutureHow to Put Our Colorado River to Use

Jerry OldsState Engineer

Objectives

• Upper Colorado River Basin Utah Apportionment

• Current level of water use

• How much unused water

• Approved yet undeveloped

• Future issues

                                                              Colorado River Basin Utah’s Apportionment

1922 Colorado River Compact

1948 Upper Basin Compact

Other Acts, TreatiesAnd Agreements

Utah - apportioned 23 % 1.37 – 1.44 MAF

Utah’s Apportionment (23%) 1,369,000 AF

Current Depletion 1,007,500 AF

Remaining Depletion 361,500 AF

Utah’sUpper Colorado River

Entitlement & Current Depletions

Applicant Quantity (Ac Ft)San Juan County WCD 30,000Central Utah WCD 29,500Board of W R (et al) 158,000Wayne County WCD 50,000Kane County WCD 30,000Sanpete WCD 5,600Uintah County WCD 5,000Others (< 5000 AF) 80,000*Ute Tribe ? 105,000  TOTAL 493,100493,100

Potential DepletionApproved Applications (Undeveloped)

Navajo NationWater Rights

There is no argument that the Navajo Nation have water rights,

the question is how much?

Applicant Quantity (Ac Ft) PrioritySJ County WCD 30,000 1966CUWCD 29,500 1965Bd of W R (et al) 158,000 1958Wayne CWCD 50,000 1960Kane CWCD 30,000 1964Sanpete WCD 5,600 1941Uintah CWCD 5,000 1965Others (< 5000 AF) 80,000 (40,000 < 1965) naUte Tribe ? 105,000 1861*Navajo Nation? 50 -150,000 1884* 

Potential DepletionApproved Applications (Undeveloped)

DRAFT – Subject to revision

593,100

Extension of Time (73-3-12)

• Public water supply agency

• First 50 yearsReasonable and due diligence

• After 50 yearsDemonstrate the need for the water

• Number of applications approaching 50 years

Current Policy RegardingProtection of Fish Flows

• Biological Opinion Nov 1992• Adopted by SE in Nov 1994• Flaming Gorge to Duchesne River as

measured at Jensen gage• Summer and Autumn Period

Target Flows Summer 1,100 –1800 CFS Autumn 1,100 – 2,400 CFS

• Future water needs - 20 CFS

Upstream development by Wyoming & Colorado

New Issues Related toProtection of Fisheries Flows

• Year-round protection

• Green River - Flaming Gorge to confluence

• Future water use

• Will be addressing – flow protection

                                                 

Growth and Water UseLower Basin

Colorado RiverWater Policy Issues

• Use Utah’s Apportionment• Current Policy 1

family, stock & 1 acre of irrigation• Approved yet undeveloped applications

Extensions past 50 years• Close to new appropriations• Block of water for small domestic wells

Limit to 1 family, stock & ¼ acre irr• Fixed time applications• Protection of fisheries flows

Trend line for reconstructed precipitation data

Departure from reconstructed average annual precipitation, El Malpais National Monument near Grants, New Mexico

(Data source: Grissino-Mayer, 1996)

-200

-150

-100

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50

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-200 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

Year

Dep

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12

3

Thank You

Questions?