Water News Roundup – July 26, 2010

Provo Daily Herald: Residents learn more about canal, trail project – Jackie Adamson says seeing plans for the $150 million Provo Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project is like watching a life-long dream come true.

Deseret News:

Most residents voice support for Murdock canal, trail plan – Few people pay attention to the “No Trespassing” sign that warns people off the maintenance road along the Murdock Canal.  Every day, walkers, runners and cyclists can be found using the dirt road, and no one stops them.

Safe drinking water a goal of Utah agencies, cities – Orders to boil water issued in two cities about a month apart this year highlighted an aspect of modern-day living most people take for granted — safe drinking water as close as the kitchen faucet.

KSL: Southern Utah officials help residents save water – Water officials in southern Utah are continuing a program that offers free irrigation system checks to residents so they can save water.

AWRA Blog: Evaluating sustainability of water demands in 2050 under climate change –Tetra Tech and the Natural Resources Defense Council have just released the report, Evaluating Sustainability of Projected Water Demands under Future Climate Change Scenarios.

St. George Spectrum (sub. required): The Slide Divide – A discussion that initially started out over a battle of water rights for a few individuals on Cedar Mountain has escalated to an issue that could affect all of Iron County and its taxpayers.

Water News Roundup – June 21, 2010

Las Vegas Sun: Supreme Court rules on Las Vegas water applications – It’s back to square one for the Southern Nevada Water Authority in its efforts to pump thousands of acre feet of water from rural Nevada to serve the Las Vegas area.

KSL:

Nevada high court withdraws water right ruling – The Nevada Supreme Court has withdrawn an earlier ruling in a key water rights case, giving new life to a proposal to build a massive pipeline to get water from the northeastern part of the state to Las Vegas.

Chevron says flush of Red Butte Creek appears to be successful – A flush of water rushed down Red Butte Creek in an effort to push any lingering oil residue downstream. Chevron pumped extra water into the creek Saturday afternoon.

Deseret News: Great Salt Lake had its day in Utah – Transport a northern Utahn from a hundred years ago to today, and he’d certainly be shocked by all our technology, as well as our hustle and bustle. He or she would also likely be surprised that many residents have never visited a Great Salt Lake beach or so much as dipped a toe in the briny waters of the lake.

Interesting article on water right pricing and how it is getting more expensive to buy water (via Aguanomics)

Water News Roundup – June 2, 2010

An interesting set of groundwater rulings that address whether an adjacent user’s water right is impaired by declining water table levels.  Jeff Gittens provides a clear summary – thank you Jeff!  Here is the legal-ese version.

Utah Water Law & Water Rights Blog:  Bingham vs. Roosevelt City – The Utah Supreme Court recently issued its opinion in Bingham v. Roosevelt City. The case centered around five City wells, known as the Hayden Well Field, through which the City pumped water out of an unconfined, shallow aquifer underlying the Hayden area. The water level in the area dropped significantly due to the City’s pumping. For example, the static water level at one well dropped from 14.3 feet to 94.6 feet.

Water world in pictures today – a bit bleak:

Recent satellite imagery of the gulf (complete with helpful ‘oil’ labels.. ha!):

Beautiful satellite imagery of the Colorado River Delta:

View of the sinkhole in Guatemala caused by recent tropical storms:

Water News Roundup – March 4, 2010

KSL: Legislature OKs personal collection of rainwater – The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that would permit the personal collection of rainwater.

Deseret News: Great Salt Lake Bird Festival registration begins Thursday – Registration for the 12th annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival begins at 9 a.m. Thursday.  Registration can be made online at www.greatsaltlakebirdfest.com or by calling 801-451-3278.

The Spectrum: Legislators to meet with city – Enoch City Council members will have the chance at their next meeting to ask Sen. Dennis Stowell, R.-Dist.28, questions about the recently passed Senate Bill 20 that allows for the creation of special districts by local entities to assess water rights.

Technorati Tags: Enoch,Great Salt Lake,Great Salt Lake Bird Festival,rainwater harvesting,Water Rights

Water News Roundup – March 3, 2010

Salt Lake Tribune:

Canal bill advances to the Senate – A bill that would require city and county officials to notify canal companies of applications to build on land within 100 feet of a canal cleared a legislative committee Tuesday.

Six water companies not compliant – Six water companies in Utah have been listed as noncompliant with the state’s Water Conservation Plan Act.

Deseret News:

Water bill clears the House – A legislative proposal that clarifies water rights in a time of shortage such as a drought or natural disaster unanimously received support from the House.

Six water systems out of compliance – Six water companies in Utah are not compliant with the Water Conservation Plan Act because they failed to submit water conservation plans by the February deadline.

For anyone whose taken a muncipal water system class, this article will be fascinating.  It may well change the way we distribute water to through urban communities…

Science Daily:  Leaf veins inspire new model for distribution networks – A team of biophysicists at Rockefeller University developed a mathematical model showing that complex sets of interconnecting loops — like the netted veins that transport water in a leaf — provide the best distribution network for supplying fluctuating loads to varying parts of the system. It also shows that such a network can best handle damage.

Technorati Tags: water conservation plans,Water Rights,water shortage

Water News Roundup – March 2, 2010

Ogden Standard Examiner: House committee created to make recommendations on Great Salt Lake – A Utah House committee on Monday approved the creation of an official council to make recommendations on public policies that involve the Great Salt Lake.

KCPW:

Would advisory council for Great Salt Lake be enough? – Members of the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council convened by former Governor Jon Huntsman say Representative Ben Ferry’s bill to create a permanent council for the lake is a good first step.

Water rights discussions could be behind closed doors – Governmental negotiations on water rights could be held behind closed doors, under a bill passed by the Utah House of Representatives this morning.

Technorati Tags: Great Salt Lake,water legislation,Water Rights

Water News Roundup – February 18, 2010

Salt Lake Tribune:

Farmland conservation bill stalls – A bill to save some Utah farmland from development appears to be dead.

Utah water-sharing bill advances – A compromise bill on how to share water during emergency shortages met no resistance in a House committee Wednesday — quite a different response from when Rep. Kerry Gibson, R-Ogden, sponsored a sharing bill last year.

Deseret News: ‘Priority’ water use is the target of HB231 – Water for consumption, sanitation and fire suppression during times of a governor-declared emergency would have “priority” over other uses under a measure approved Wednesday in a legislative committee.

The Spectrum: City stands pat on water bill – The Cedar City Council decided against drafting a resolution dealing with whether to support Senate Bill 20 during its special action meeting Wednesday night.

Scientific American: EPA to staunch flood of stormwater runoff polluting U.S. waterways– Across the country, stormwater runoff hammers thousands of rivers, streams and lakes. Communities are left to struggle with the consequences of too much pavement and too little oversight. Now the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is gearing up to tighten federal stormwater rules that have been criticized by environmental groups and deemed ineffective by a national panel of researchers.

Technorati Tags: farmland conservation,priority water rights,runoff,stormwater regulation,urban growth,Utah Legislature 2010,Water Quality,Water Rights,water-sharing

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

Water News Roundup – February 1, 2010

Suddenly lots of water news… Snake Valley, canal regulation, new legislation, etc.  Enjoy!

Deseret News:

Nevada top court reverses ruling on water deal –  A controversial water deal between Utah and Nevada — one that appeared destined for signatures just weeks ago — was upended Thursday after Nevada’s Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling on the matter.

Amendment aims to clarify water taxation – A constitutional amendment that would give tax-exempt status to water-producing property was sent on with a favorable recommendation Thursday morning in a House committee meeting.

Salt Lake Tribune:

Ruling may sink Snake Valley water deal – A top water official moved too slowly on a 1989 Las Vegas request for certain water rights, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday — a finding that could delay or even kill a $3.5 billion proposal to pipe water 300 miles from Snake Valley to Sin City.

Utahns speak with one voice: no water deal – Anyway you slice the numbers in a new poll, most Utahns say a proposed Snake Valley water-sharing agreement with Nevada is a bad idea.  About 60 percent or more of all men, women, Democrats, Republicans, independents, Mormons and non-Mormons oppose the deal, which appeared all but done before a Nevada Supreme Court ruling Thursday smashed into it.

Great Salt Lake’s mercury source can’t hide forever – Scientists may finally be closing in on the source of mercury fouling Utah’s Great Salt Lake.  The Environmental Protection Agency is funding an effort by a University of Utah researcher and others to scan the air over the lake in search of mercury and any hints about where it’s coming from.

Salt Lake Tribune – Editorial: Canal regulation – At 4,703 words, Utah House Bill 60 sets a record.

KCPW: Senator wants to legalize rainwater collection – It’s been a year since Utah Senate Majority Leader Scott Jenkins first introduced his rainwater harvesting bill, but he says people are still “a little jumpy” about changing some of the oldest laws in Utah, its water laws. But it’s a common practice that’s becoming more popular as interest in gardening and sustainability grows. Jenkins notes that currently in Utah, people storing rainwater are actually breaking the law.

Water News Roundup – January 13, 2010

KSL: Hearings open on nuke power plant – Some in Green River would welcome a nuclear power plant for the jobs it could create.

Salt Lake Tribune: Hearing on proposed Utah nuke plant zeroes in on water needs – A proposed nuclear power plant that could be built just outside this Emery County town in southern Utah would provide more than 1,000 long-term, high-paying jobs.

Deseret News: Water hearing today for proposed Emery County plant – Protests sparked by a plan to divert river water for a new nuclear reactor in Emery County will be reviewed at a hearing Tuesday.

Drought Monitor: