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Interstate Groundwater Agreements Utah Water Law Conference March 10, 2008

Interstate Groundwater Agreements Utah Water Law Conference March 10, 2008. What is Sustainability?. How do you measure recharge?. What is the function of gw storage?. How do you divide it?. UT. NV. Groundwater Flow in Soil. Recharge Precipitation Runoff Return flow from irrigation.

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Interstate Groundwater Agreements Utah Water Law Conference March 10, 2008

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  1. Interstate Groundwater Agreements Utah Water Law Conference March 10, 2008

  2. What is Sustainability?

  3. How do you measure recharge?

  4. What is the function of gw storage?

  5. How do you divide it? UT NV

  6. Groundwater Flow in Soil

  7. Recharge • Precipitation • Runoff • Return flow from irrigation • Discharge • Evapotranspiration • Springs • Underflow • Wells

  8. What is reasonable?

  9. Safe Yield • “Safe Yield” means the amount of groundwater that can be withdrawn from a groundwater basin over a period of time without exceeding the long-term recharge of the basin or unreasonably affecting the basin’s physical and chemical integrity. 73-5-15(1)(b)

  10. Areas of Concernwith shared aquifers

  11. Utah/Nevada Water Right Negotiations

  12. Snake Valley Negotiations are NOT • Sale or conveyance of Utah Water to Nevada • Utah approval for SNWA to pump wells • Taking Utah water rights for Nevada • Trade of water in Snake Valley for consideration elsewhere • A subversive effort by government to disenfranchise citizens

  13. Agreement (PL 108-424) Prior to any transbasin diversion from ground-water basins located within both the state of Nevada and the State of Utah, the State of Nevada and the State of Utah shall reach an agreement regarding the division of water resources of those interstate ground-water flow system(s) from which water will be diverted and used by the project. The agreement shall allow for the maximum sustainable beneficial use of the water resources and protect existing water rights.

  14. Agreement Concepts • Opportunity to plan and work together on a solution • Agreement Elements • Geographical Extent • Define Water Right Protection • Development Future in Both States • Sustainability • Sensitive Species Issues

  15. Agreement Area Boundary

  16. Fish Springs 27,000 af Gandy Springs 12,000 af Twin Springs 2000 af Big Springs 24,000 af

  17. Snake Valley Characteristics

  18. Agreement Process • Hydrology and water resource features • Existing uses and water rights • Division methodology • Assuring sustainability • Avoiding other unacceptable consequences

  19. In the end,there is only so much water.

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