[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6236716,"mediaKeyId","3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc","parentId",3355576,"title","Division official presents basinwide schematic and model work for Great Salt Lake integrated plan","audioSeconds",558,"startMs",3208000,"endMs",3766000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc&start=3208&end=3766","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc/thumbnail_3208000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6236716/Utah/Division-official-presents-basinwide-schematic-and-model-work-for-Great-Salt-Lake-integrated-plan","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236716-5b42e467e3615d83a039251c3567bc34/orig.mp4?Expires=1770885387&Signature=jwGfvmS3xJ6q0xbToDbBOeDbRzrnIBUkSV8CPBAx95~fNuT~GrOmo5Zy2dg6~D85PQGSc67ogS~jZ2r0kDTupztpRyvruwhPW~YimtuGfp0CXzhYL8z0y~dZO94Bbt3DgYY7u2CpmYtxX2Qa75S6dF9a43VjlLcTlfaEjqQ1EjjTYSRGyp~OriKn4DAcmXW4N~TcKk5uTw2e~1UX9tgKcNAMneHLffTC1BEqXQagkzH9aAFcCyFnxfZUvztmoT1mTkdFZFFX60P3sqlXyMcn0erzB6gNIVDAoW4yHpEh0WDwFRFVBCLsjjP1Nb-Fy6ykCVF8dc3qo6XveXLNt9kZDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Utah Watersheds Council","date","2025-05-16T15:08:02Z","article","Jake Serago, hydrologist with the Utah Division of Water Resources, briefed the Bear River Watershed Council on the Great Salt Lake Basin integrated plan and a basinwide schematic intended to support a multi‑decadal planning model.

The schematic and model are designed to help stakeholders see the “big picture” — major supplies, reservoirs, conveyances and demand centers — so planners can test scenarios for future climates, returns, transfers and habitat outcomes without committing money or construction in the field.

Serago said the project is funded in part by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and by the Utah Legislature. He described the schematic as a tool that shows major surface‑water supplies, groundwater withdrawals (iconized as orange on the draft schematic), major canals and reservoirs, and existing gauges; return flows will be added as their locations are better defined. The schematic also will be used to build a model that allows scenario testing for tradeoffs and system‑wide effects.

“Director Steed … we are building attempting to build this airplane while we’re flying it,” Serago said, paraphrasing the challenge of managing the lake while developing long‑term plans. He asked council members to review printed copies of the draft schematic at the back table, mark corrections and provide contact information so the project team can send electronic copies and follow‑up materials.

Serago noted the model will be iteratively improved and that team members will seek input from watershed councils, water users and resource managers to refine the schematic, add return‑flow mapping and incorporate monitoring data. The schematic is already being developed for other basins (Weber, Jordan, Utah Lake) and will be used to link basin plans with wetland and Great Salt Lake management.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bear River Watershed Council 05/06/25","oneSentenceSummary","Jake Serago of the Utah Division of Water Resources presented a basin schematic and explained how a new integrated plan and model — funded by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Utah Legislature — will be used to evaluate long‑term scenarios for the Great Salt Lake and connected basins.","taxTitle","Utah Watersheds Council, Boards and Commissions, Organizations, Utah Executive Branch, Utah","taxId",66170,"location","Utah","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6236719,"Logan River Observatory expands gauges, telemetry and tracer studies to give managers more real‑time data",891,2185000,3076000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc&start=2185&end=3076","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc/thumbnail_2185000.jpg","/articles/6236719/Utah/Logan-River-Observatory-expands-gauges-telemetry-and-tracer-studies-to-give-managers-more-realtime-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236719-2735e48d5243a50bcf344029d55a609c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770885387&Signature=I-DqEa7XOq9Mcozf886Ca2oc-T30h5uRvNOQueW7uIKtHoW1d8VCxIx1U3IlpbMcwkzRSKGowWEMRwTOHkgVrqFUZoOp1dcAv0KItoRhh7g7Lw9zkGRrK8LBngx-jQwXc-dB485eeQpKNKTIareBKrJs0nqXTMqzAEgIOmysPuP9NLud1RQVzbuOz-UyzVyCHYoMYKaWsz8~8JhL7mX-hSNcTufurnc2y9zyR6K8F03bDLFK4CYN-Zn2agRgEV6l0bIGWvjIf5iH1huSXfn5-0nBSKwUewBQvD-QEQH~Ap2bQXdW6QFpslbEDjCi~gZzWTSOhxfYArF9gUB6uNHgQw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Beth Nielsen, co‑director of the Logan River Observatory, told the Bear River Watershed Council the observatory has expanded flow and water‑quality monitoring across the Logan River watershed and into adjacent tributaries to provide real‑time data for researchers and water managers.

The work matters because the new gauges, 15‑minute diversion loggers and added telemetry will give managers more precise inflow and return‑flow information for Cutler Reservoir and other infrastructure, and tracer studies are revealing unexpected subsurface connections that affect source‑to‑spring pathways.

Nielsen summarized recent additions: new stations at DeWitt Springs Overflow, the Logan River at Tenth West, Blacksmith Fork sites, and a newly operational Little Logan return flow gauge located near the Larski Lake development. She said the Division of Water Rights funded several of the new stations and that the observatory is working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to reactivate and install long‑term stream gages, including the Bear River at Smithfield and upcoming USGS sites on Cub River and Summit Creek.

The observatory has added 15‑minute data loggers at many diversion locations, installed new repeaters to transmit canyon data, and intends to make most gauges available in near real time through an updated Logan River Observatory website. Nielsen asked council members to take a short survey about what quick‑access plots and station groupings would be most useful to local water managers.

Beyond telemetry, the observatory has run dye tracer studies to map subsurface karst flows. Nielsen described a tracer that was injected in Sink Hollow and showed up at Swan Creek Spring — a result she said demonstrates how water falling in one place can reappear quickly at springs some distance away. When asked what was “the scary part,” Nielsen explained the practical risk: some surface locations that receive contaminants or spills are connected rapidly to springs and drinking‑water sources. She said, “some of the connectedness that’s unexpected … that’s where it gets a little bit scary.”

Nielsen encouraged staff and managers to request data directly if they need it before the public interface is finalized and noted that the observatory will continue to coordinate with USGS, Fish and Wildlife Service, Trout Unlimited and local water districts on funding and station siting.","Beth Nielsen of the Logan River Observatory described new gauging stations, telemetry repeaters, USGS partnerships and tracer studies that improve understanding of flows and subsurface connectivity across the Logan and Bear River tributaries.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6236723,"Council hears review of recent state water bills covering reuse, rights timing and Great Salt Lake governance",1029,322000,1351000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc&start=322&end=1351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3355576-7676248a628c7efbdad4dcc54cdc2bbc/thumbnail_322000.jpg","/articles/6236723/Utah/Council-hears-review-of-recent-state-water-bills-covering-reuse-rights-timing-and-Great-Salt-Lake-governance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6236723-1b74b2e4b640d1c134ca359f9dc7d97a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770885387&Signature=LbFTNg849mD4mxWfTggEx7RUHpZ2udvR6BOM5ajQqUxrF6WDaxuuaAJuutHl2BdYMuq9Bg72G8UnJRch1FnZpwaWmS4dj0AD6tz9kdN1n5CGafJT3ZKE6vZU-j~DTv~2azAXf382LZj5d1rzkSUiJGLtV4bkg3~sHxXEZfuqFPUuafllqk7eg3zMZZMcwVdcE8hyZrAcG9q4auDIJJ2A~dPpoYFkncpXGWC-s-KqVGuQpcKK3SIxykhI2uy841GGBJz44Jsce3L8m9GJbDjMU2lxqDfQV7-~2OvE~mi5cnKuuoJuXkKKxyKHxmyysdk4wmnCpjAQha~OMRFh6IO6HQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Trevor, staff member, reviewed a range of water-related bills at the Bear River Watershed Council meeting, outlining changes lawmakers approved this legislative session and areas still under development.

The overview matters because the bills alter how water is measured, transferred and managed across basins and could change how local users and managers account for reuse, public‑land watering certificates and Great Salt Lake coordination.

Trevor opened by noting “there still were a number of bills.” He described a House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 1) concerning the Grand County Water Conservancy District and a transfer of water rights originating with the U.S. Department of Energy; the transfer amount in the presentation was described as “approximately 25,000 or 2,500 acre‑feet annually.”

He summarized a set of passed bills and amendments that council members should track. Key items in his briefing included:

- House Bill (HB) 141 (described in the meeting as “changes to state water policy amendments”): adds groundwater quality study and monitoring provisions, encourages reuse under defined conditions and promotes use of the state water plan.

- HB 46: a procedural cleanup to separate timelines for rehearing water right application decisions by the state engineer and applicants.

- HB 47 (public lands watering rights amendments): refines a federal‑lands certificate program so water tied to grazing permits is not automatically forfeited when grazing is reduced and requires permit‑holders to sign changes when the federal land manager requests them.

- HB 81: aligns state law with a federal prohibition described in the presentation concerning fluoridation in certain systems.

- HB 89: narrows the use of small‑estate affidavits to transfer water shares after concerns the process was being used to transfer high‑value water rights; the presenter said appraisal requirements complicated the previous approach.

- HB 174 (water rights restricted account): gives the state engineer more flexibility to use funds for measurement devices and related needs outside general adjudication.

- HB 4273 (referred to in the meeting as “house bill 4,2 73”): agricultural water optimization amendments that also allow grant funding for research and provide partial funding for pre‑project meters.

- Bills affecting water governance and coordination: watershed amendments (HB 311) clarifying roles for a state water agent and confirming water commissioners as state employees; Great Salt Lake amendments (HB 446) that reorganize the Great Salt Lake Commissioner position into the Department of Natural Resources; and brine/mining amendments (HB 468) addressing deep brine extraction and potential overlapping roles of the state engineer and the Board of Oil, Gas and Mining.

Trevor also briefed on several Senate bills: SB 33 (water recording amendments allowing electronic signatures), SB 80 (water fees amendments giving the Department of Environmental Quality fee authority), SB 36 (water quality board appeal authority for assessed fines), SB 95 (transportation amendments requiring coordination with water facilities in master planning), and SB 220 (construction and stormwater related changes).

The presenter repeatedly emphasized implementation details and next steps rather than immediate local actions. No formal motions or votes were taken during the summary; the council moved on to other agenda items after a brief question period.","A presenter at the Bear River Watershed Council meeting summarized dozens of recently passed and proposed Utah bills affecting water rights, reuse, measurement, diversion procedures and Great Salt Lake governance, urging local managers to watch implementation details.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Division official presents basinwide schematic and model work for Great Salt Lake integrated plan

Logan River Observatory expands gauges, telemetry and tracer studies to give managers more real‑time data

Council hears review of recent state water bills covering reuse, rights timing and Great Salt Lake governance