WSP07982

• File Number: 8021
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Western States Water Council
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 1/8/1993
• Author: Western States Water
• Title: Western States Water 1993 - Issues 973-1024
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

as some observers had hoped, it will be supported by
state officials, particularly the western governors who
recently passed a resolution endorsing it, and others,
On the other hand, it is likely to be opposed by
hydropower developers, and the electricity industry in
general. A hearing on this provision is scheduled for
August 4.

WATER RESOURCES

UtahlJordaneIle Dam

Early completion of the Jordanelle Dam, a major
component of the Central Utah Project (CUP), has
allowed storage of heavy spring runoff this year,
saving residents of four Utah counties from extensive
potential flood damage. Above average precipitation
during 1992-3 caused the flow of the F'rovo River to
crest at 3100 cubic feet per second (cfs) on May 25.
By comparison, the river peaked at about 2500 cfs
during 1983-4, and substantial flooding occurred. The
storage capacity of the new reservoir, which is located
on the Provo's mainstem, allowed control of the river's
flow for flood prevention purposes. A tunnel and other
diversion works that can bring water into the Provo
from the Duchesne and Weber Rivers also helped
control flooding in those drainages.

Stage I filling criteria for the reservoir have allowed
it to reach a depth of 120 feet. This was achieved on
June 17. Safety requirements preclude further filling
until after July 17, if water is available. In addition to
flood control and water storage, the Bureau of
Reclamation and the State of Utah project that benefits
from operation of the dam will include improved
management of the Provo River to protect fisheries,
enhancement of wildlife and water10wl habitat through
wetlands construction, protection, and maintenance,
and creation of various recreation opportunities.
Legislation that allowed completion of CUP contained
'landmark' environmental protection provisions (WSW
#936). In addition to benefits from the dam itself, the
provisions will guarantee minimum flows for 240 miles
of Utah rivers and streams, establish an ongoing
mitigation and conservation fund, and lay the ground
work for settlement of the water rights claims of the
Ute Indian tribe In eastern Utah. The Jordanelle Dam
site was visited by many WSWC members as part of
the quarterly Council meetings held last July In Salt
Lake City.

WATER RESOURCES/CONGRESSIONAL UPDATE

Water Use Fees/FY94 Budget

.

Both the House and Senate have passed budget
reconciliation bills. The House bill includes a $10M
surcharge on the delivery of water from federal
reclamation projects with receipts deposited in a new
Natural Resources Restoration Fund (WSW #993).
The surcharge will apply to projects whether or not
they are paid out. In the Senate, the Energy and
Natural Resources Committee was not specffically
directed to act on the irrigation surcharge, and the
Senate bill has no surcharge provisions. This
difference in the bills must be reconciled by a
conference committee. Both the House and Senate
have named conferees, but no date has been set for
the conference committee to begin its work.

PEOPLE

California Governor Pete Wilson has appointed
James Stubchaer as an alternate WSWC member. He
will replace Eliseo Samaniego. Mr. Stubchaer is a
member of the California State Water Resources
Control Board. He graduated from the University of
Southern California and Delft (Netherlands)
Technological University. He is a former member of
the California Water Commission and the Central
Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board. We
welcome him.

.

Former WSWC Chair Bill Young is no longer with
the Oregon Executive Department. As of July 1, he
has accepted a position in the Water Quality Division
of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
He may be reached at [phone]. We wish him
well.

MEETINGS

The Colorado Water Resources Research Institute
at Colorado State University has issued an
announcement and second call for papers for a
meeting entitled 'Seeking an Integrated Approach to
Watershed Management in the South Platte Basin.' It
will be held October 27-28, at the University Park
Holiday Inn in Fort Collins, Colorado. For information
on the meeting or to submit papers call Kathleen Klein,
[phone].

The WESTERN STATES WATER COUNCIL is an organization of representatives appointed by the Governors of .
member states - Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota,
Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, and associate member state Oklahoma