SALT LAKE CITY — New numbers show that nearly 70,000 acre feet of water has been donated to the Great Salt Lake.
The donations come from major water rights holders like The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Rio Tinto Kennecott. Ogden City and local water districts have also sent water downstream to the lake. The total water — 69,342 acre-feet — was revealed to the Legislative Water Development Commission during a hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
"That is pledged, we don't know if it's made it to the Great Salt Lake," said Deputy Great Salt Lake Commissioner Tim Davis.
The water was obtained through donations to the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, which was created by the Utah State Legislature with $40 million to buy or borrow water for the lake. The trust itself is run by The Nature Conservancy and the Audubon Society. Compass Minerals, a major business operating on the lake, also recently pledged water as part of a tax deal made possible through a bill the legislature passed earlier this year. The Great Salt Lake Commissioner's Office negotiated a donation from Ogden.
Legislative Water Development Commission
"Is this people heeding the request to be a little bit circumspect in how they put water on their property?" Rep. Joel Briscoe, D-Salt Lake City, asked.
Scott Paxman, the general manager of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, told him it was a result of conservation.
"We’ve seen some great efficiencies of all of our customer agencies and retail customers who I think are conserving a lot of water. There’s a whole lot of water in the system which allows more water to go to the Great Salt Lake," he said.
"I'm happy for this amount," Rep. Briscoe replied.
Ahead of the upcoming legislative session, the Great Salt Lake Commissioner's Office also had a wish list of policy items to tackle. They include:
- The Division of Forestry, Fire, & State Lands is seeking to address berm management and minor statutory clean-up from legislation passed earlier this year.
- Rep. Doug Owens, D-Millcreek, will run a conservation bill "particularly concerning the use of overhead spray irrigation or similar methods."
- Legislation is sought to "establish a conservation standard for new development in the Great Salt Lake Basin," which could include limiting exactions for new water and lower the costs of new development.
- Modifying procurement law to facilitate the leasing of water for the Great Salt Lake by the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner.
- A tax credit for water donated to the Great Salt Lake, similar to conservation easements.
