Water News Roundup – June 28, 2010

Salt Lake Tribune:

Utah anglers may have to buy stream access – State fisheries managers want to overcome Utah’s newly restricted stream access by charging $3 to $5 extra from participating anglers and using the money to pay private landowners for walk-in access.

Quick note for summer field crews in Utah – if its in Centerville, it might be where you’re working too.  Watch your step!

Large marijuana plot discovered in Centerville – Police destroyed a clandestine plot of more than 12,000 marijuana plants near Centerville on Sunday.

Deseret News: Health officials brace for war against ‘crypto’ – Few things could bring more welcome relief and fun to a hot Utah summer day than spending time at a community swimming pool or a local water park.

And just to prove that the ol’ adage about whiskey and water still stands… HA!!!

Missoulian: Stevensville man accused of shovel assault – An apparent fight over opening a headgate one hour early left one man with a cracked tooth and another facing a felony charge of assault with a weapon. (HT: actively moving water)

 

Water News Roundup – May 17, 2010

Happy Monday!  Loads of water news today.  When it rains it pours?

Provo Daily Herald:  Task force formed to discuss water access on private lands – There have been few issues in the past five years hotter than recreational access to water flowing over private property.

Provo Daily Herald – Opinion:  Facts support need for Utah Lake bridge – In the last few weeks there have been two news articles that state the bridge across Utah Lake is "a bad idea" and it is "not viable." People can have thoughts and beliefs, but not their own facts.

Salt Lake Tribune:

A new approach to the Great Salt Lake – Great Salt Lake Minerals Corp.’s expansion plan is moving forward so America’s farmers can continue to feed our country and help meet growing worldwide food needs.

Wyoming worried about Green River water grab – Wyoming has an unusual problem among the states in the Colorado River system: lots of water and, other than supporting some fine trout fishing, no way to put a significant amount of it to use.

Deseret News:  Comments sought on Gooseberry Narrows dam project – Envisioned 77 years ago as a way to supply water to northern Sanpete County residents, the proposed Gooseberry Narrows reservoir remains on the drawing board and a subject of bitter contention between two counties.

St. George Spectrum: Event highlights water education – A wet winter has water supplies looking good in Southern Utah, but water managers are reminding residents to do what they can to help those supplies last.

KCPW: Salt Lake County adopts stricter drinking water protections – Salt Lake County adopted a water source protection ordinance this week to beef up protections already in place and to comply with a new state law.

Water News Roundup – April Fool’s edition (but no jokes… sorry)

Provo Daily Herald: Citizens groups propose bridgeless Utah Lake – Hunters, sailors, birders, recreation-lovers and environmentalists joined together on Wednesday to tell the state to leave Utah Lake bridge-free.

Salt Lake Tribune:

Brian Head resort for sale, but who will buy? – Taking advantage of a good snow year, the owners of Brian Head Resort have stepped up their efforts to sell the ski resort above Parowan in southwestern Utah.

Governor signs contentious stream bill – Gov. Gary Herbert signed a bitterly contested bill Wednesday that could restrict fishing and recreation access to some streams that cross private land, saying he believed it will foster negotiations in a clash over public water rights and private property.

KSL: Cache council to sponsor canal project – The Cache County Council will sponsor a multimillion dollar canal project aimed at restoring irrigation water to shareholders adversely affected by a canal breach in Logan last year.

New York Times: New efficiency standards for water heaters – The Obama administration on Thursday released new energy efficiency standards for water heaters and other appliances that it said would save consumers $10 billion over 30 years while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Technorati Tags: Brian Head,canal rehabilitation,canal safety,energy efficiency,snowpack,stream access,stream bill,Utah Lake,Utah Lake bridge,water efficiency,water/energy nexus

Happy World Water Day! March 23, 2010

The official kick-off for World Water Day was actually yesterday, but it’s supposed to last all week.  The UN describes the day as, “…celebrated annually on March 22, was established by the United Nations in 1992 and focuses attention on the world’s water crisis, as well as the solutions to address it.”  National Geographic is devoting their April 2010 issue to global water challenges and has made it free for download until April 2.  If you become a ‘fan’ on facebook of ITT Watermark, they will donate $1 to Mercy Corps, Water for People, and the China Women’s Development Foundation.  Water.org has more information about Water Week as well.

The local chapter of Water for People has opened registration for their 6th annual golf tournament and benefit on May 3.  Here’s a flyer for the event:  2010 WFP Golf Tournament Invitation.  If you register before Apr. 5th they will give you a 10% discount.  Don’t miss this chance to see water-buffaloes roaming the links! (Unless you were in St. George last week – then you’ve probably seen enough. :))

Finally, Boston.com has a smaller collection of the photos from the National Geographic issue.  They are really impressive.

Now for the news…

Salt Lake Tribune: EPA to issue stricter drinking water standards – The Environmental Protection Agency is tightening drinking water standards to impose stricter limits on four contaminants that can cause cancer.

Provo Daily Herald – Opinion: Land owners backed by legislature – Since the Conatser ruling in 2008, the Utah Legislature has struggled with balancing private property rights and recreation rights.

Technorati Tags: EPA,stream access,Water for People,World Water Day,water quality

Water News Roundup – February 24, 2010

Deseret News:

Canal safety bill passes House – Utah canals that pose potential safety hazards— like one in Logan that failed last summer, killing a mother and two children — would be subject to new safety requirements under a proposal that passed the House on Tuesday.

State division allows competing bids for use of Utah Lake land – Utah Crossing Inc. may not be alone in applying for use of land it wants to utilize to build a bridge across Utah Lake.

Salt Lake Tribune: House passes canal safety bill – The state would encourage canal companies to create management plans for risky stretches of canals but shield those plans from public scrutiny under a bill that passed the Utah House on Tuesday.

2010 Legislature: Representative McIff’s substituted stream access bill has passed the House.  The bill now moves to the Senate.

Technorati Tags: canal legislation,canal regulation,FFSL,stream access,Utah Lake,Utah Lake bridge

Water News Roundup – January 17, 2010

Deseret News: Two bills on stream access pass committee – Like that pesky carp that keeps returning to your fishing line, the controversial issue of accessing public streams on private property is presenting lawmakers with a boatload of debate.

Salt Lake Tribune: Two bills on stream access pass House panels – Two different Utah House committees passed separate stream access bills Friday.  The bills and the debate are the result of a 2008 Utah Supreme Court decision called the Conaster Ruling that gave anglers and river enthusiasts the right to access waterways on private property as long as they stayed in the riverbed and entered the river on public property.

The Spectrum: Local water district bill put on hold – Proposed by Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Dist. 28, Senate Bill 20 focuses on creating a special local district to help develop and execute a groundwater management plan throughout the state.

Courtesy of Jeffrey Gittens at Utah Water Law: Water Rights Deed Addendum Bill – Representative Ben Ferry has introduced House Bill 314 (HB 314) entitled “Water Rights Addendums to Deeds.” The bill would require a water rights addendum (i.e., a “deed rider”) to be included with every deed that conveys land or water rights.

NPR: Warming planet can mean more snow – With snow blanketing much of the country, the topic of global warming has become the butt of jokes.  For scientists who study the climate, it’s all a bit much. They’re trying to dig out.  Most don’t see a contradiction between a warming world and lots of snow. That includes Kevin Trenberth, a prominent climate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado.

Technorati Tags: Climate Change,groundwater management,precipitation,public access,snow,stream access,Utah Legislature 2010,Water Rights