10-02-2006, 06:10 PM
If I'm not mistaken, this has been talked about in many different ways. Right now, I think the lobbyist for the water conservancy districts has taken the "let's just look at this idea alone" approach to Washington, although it does have ramifiactions to tie in to much bigger water development projects. Specifically, development of the Bear River.
Bear River water was divvyed out on paper some time ago, and since then, the four groups that laid claim on the water are trying to figure out a way to get it. Most vocal is the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in Salt Lake County (the other three groups are Weber Basin Water CD, Cache Valley, and the Bear River Water CD).
As I understand it, one of the alternatives to building a new full-on reservoir on the Bear River (currently proposed near Washakie) and piping the water down to Salt Lake County is to just put Jordan Valley's share of Bear River water into Willard Bay, and then pipe it from Willard down to Salt Lake County. That makes the Willard folks (Weber WCD) nervous. For one, it's their reservoir and I'm not sure how keen they are on holding and managing someone else's water; and second, because the water quality of the Bear River is...uh...not great to put it kindly. It's kind of a touchy subject between the two so they don't talk much about it--for now.
Although Weber WCD could raise the level of Willard for their own water, don't think that Jordan doesn't have their eyes on the Feds paying for a project that would eventually get Bear River water to Salt Lake County. They've been buying up property all along the proposed pipeline area--tens of millions of dollars worth(your property tax $$ at work) betting that they'll get to develop that water.
It's all kind of hyphothetical at this point, so who really knows? It's all aministrative talk right now, so if it goes any further THEN you'll start seeing the research and science about the impacts. Definitely something to keep an eye on, though.
lurechucker
[signature]
Bear River water was divvyed out on paper some time ago, and since then, the four groups that laid claim on the water are trying to figure out a way to get it. Most vocal is the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District in Salt Lake County (the other three groups are Weber Basin Water CD, Cache Valley, and the Bear River Water CD).
As I understand it, one of the alternatives to building a new full-on reservoir on the Bear River (currently proposed near Washakie) and piping the water down to Salt Lake County is to just put Jordan Valley's share of Bear River water into Willard Bay, and then pipe it from Willard down to Salt Lake County. That makes the Willard folks (Weber WCD) nervous. For one, it's their reservoir and I'm not sure how keen they are on holding and managing someone else's water; and second, because the water quality of the Bear River is...uh...not great to put it kindly. It's kind of a touchy subject between the two so they don't talk much about it--for now.
Although Weber WCD could raise the level of Willard for their own water, don't think that Jordan doesn't have their eyes on the Feds paying for a project that would eventually get Bear River water to Salt Lake County. They've been buying up property all along the proposed pipeline area--tens of millions of dollars worth(your property tax $$ at work) betting that they'll get to develop that water.
It's all kind of hyphothetical at this point, so who really knows? It's all aministrative talk right now, so if it goes any further THEN you'll start seeing the research and science about the impacts. Definitely something to keep an eye on, though.
lurechucker
[signature]