Attendees
Board Members:
Kathy Wood Loveless (Salt Lake County)
Max Haslem (Uintah County)
Steve Hanberg (Uintah County)
Jim Riding (Salt Lake County)
Wade E Garner (Utah County)
Greg McPhie (Summit/Wasatch Counties)
G Wayne Andersen (Utah County)
Shelley Brennan (Duchesne County)
Gene Shawcroft (General Manager),
Al Mansell (Salt Lake County)
Brad Wells (Duchesne County)
Marvin Kenison (Juab County)
Randy Vincent (Uintah County)
Jennifer Scott (Salt Lake County)
Steve Farrell (Summit/Wasatch Counties)
Kirk Christensen (Duchesne County)
Excused
Eldon Neves (Utah County)
Jon Bronson (Salt Lake County)
Additional:
CUWCD staff, about 10 guests
Committee Reports
Note: all proposals listed below were passed unanimously
Engineering & Operations Committee, led by Al Mansell
Shaun Hilton, a water engineer, requested approval on behalf of the engineering committee to an amendment to a construction contract with W.W. Clyde & Co. for the Vineyard wellfield project. At the time the original contract was written, negotiations had taken place with Utah Valley University and other land owning entities, but had not been completed with a private landowner. The amendment would advance the timeline of the project significantly to avoid hindering any future commercial development in the area. It would also provide extra funds to allow for unforeseen needs during construction, including traffic control, barriers, and temporary roads.The amendment requests approximately $385,000 in additional funds.
Jared Hansen, a hydraulics engineer dubbed the “Water Wizard,” presented a yearly water supply update, which can be found at watersupply.cuwcd.gov. The report indicated significantly improved drought conditions in the majority of the state, with the least improvement in the eastern region. Soil moisture throughout the state is very high compared to our average, which Hansen declared as excellent news because soil moisture is “the first debt that must be paid” to fill other water systems. With the exception of the Upper Stillwater, it is expected that all CUCWD reservoirs will “fill and spill,” including the Strawberry Reservoir. This will be only the third time in Strawberry’s 52-year history that filling occurs.
Central Utah Project Completion Committee, led by Kirk L. Christensen
Brad Perkins, a water resource engineer, presented an update on the Salem Reach 1 Pipeline Project, which is at 99.1% completion. He requested an additional $688,000 be delegated to the project, which amount will be essentially matched by Salem City, for unforeseen circumstances, design issues, and project enhancements. Overall, the request adds up to an 8.2% increase in total cost.
Legal & Legislative Committee, led by Steve Farrell
In an agreement with Sanpete County, the CUWCD has pledged funds up to $2.5 million for “shovel-ready” projects during the year. Rick Maloy, a strategic initiatives manager, presented the request for approval to allot the first of the funds to a canal automation project submitted by Gunnison Irrigation. The project would improve irrigation efficiency by 10% and improve year-round reliability for users. The proposal requested $1 million from CUWCD.
Gary Brimley, a water rights expert and engineer, presented an amendment to a 2020 agreement between CUWCD and the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission, as well as the Division of Wildlife Resources, the Audubon Society, and the Nature Conservancy. Through the agreement, CUWCD donates 2,927 acre-feet annually to the Great Salt Lake. The proposed amendment allows for the water to reach the GSL through a second route if there are capacity limits with the first, and also extends the ten year term of agreement to restart on the day the amendment is approved.
In response to the most debated topic of the previous CUWCD meeting, special legal counsel Rob Moore presented updated guidelines for CUWCD participation in projects, including the requirement that the project has not commenced at the time of CUWCD’s initial involvement, the project meets the CUWCD’s conservation requirements, and the CUWCD’s contribution would be consistent with other taxing entities that are contributing.
Environmental & Conservation Committee, led by Jennifer Scott
Amanda Strack and Casey Finlinson, water conservationists, presented an update on the conservation and education programs sponsored by CUWCD throughout the past year. The report included the completion of 290 sustainable, residential landscapes and over 1,200 smart-controller sprinkler rebates provided. The commercial sustainable landscapes program, they said, has saved an estimated 19 million gallons of water per year. CUWCD also sponsored toilet rebates, landscaping classes, conservation outreach events, and children’s educational programs.
Colorado River
Bart Leeflang, the Colorado River Program Assistant General Manager, presented a research partnership with Utah State University, measuring the effectiveness of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) in Utah’s climate. Although a center pivot would still be needed for the germination of crops like alfalfa, if results are similar to those experienced by nearby states who employ SDI, a consumptive use reduction of 30% could be seen.
What Passed
Addendum No. 1 to Public Information Management Service Contract for the CWP High Head Wells Development and Wellfield Collector Pipeline Projects
Change Order No. 1 for Well 17 Feeder Pipeline Project
Approval of Engineering and Construction Payments for February and March
Change Order No. 8 for the Salem Reach 1 Project
Approval of CUPCA Engineering and Construction Payments for February and March
Agreement between CUWCD and Gunnison Irrigation for Gunnison Irrigation Company Canal Automation Water Project
First Amendment to Fixed Time Water Use Donation Agreement
Revised CUWCD Community Reinvestment Areas Participation guidelines
Resolution 2024-04-02 between CUWCD and Juab County Community Reinvestment Agency
Approval of Finance and Expenditure Report for February and March
Amendment to Standby Bond Purchase Agreement (discussed in a staff meeting)
Pelican Lake Lake Subsurface Drip Irrigation Pilot Project Contract
Summary
Eleven items were proposed and each passed unanimously, and two committee reports were presented.
Approved projects fall under the categories of Infrastructure Enhancement, Contract Amendments, and Conservation Research.
A sum total of $14,717,859.21 was allocated to projects and committee payments
Water Documenters is a collaboration between The Salt Lake Tribune and City Bureau and funded through grants from the Great Salt Lake Collaborative and the Rita Allen Foundation. College student journalists from all over Utah are hired to attend and take notes at public water meetings in Utah. These notes are then published for anyone to read or use. The project is aimed at providing better public access to meetings where major decisions are made about a limited Utah resource. For more meeting notes, click here. For more information, click here.
