Board briefing clears draft third‑party contract for Green River Block water; legal, policy questions remain

State legal counsel presented a draft third‑party contract the Utah Board of Water Resources would use when users of the Green River Block water right file fixed‑time change applications to participate in programs such as the Colorado River demand‑management pilot. Sarah Schechter, attorney with the Utah Attorney General's Office, told the board the contract implements the state's exchange agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation and requires a third party to reimburse two charges: an annual contract rate and an operation‑and‑maintenance assessment. "The annual payment is based on two rates," she said, "the annual contract rate, which is multiplied by the number of acre feet depleted each year, and an operation and maintenance cost fee, which amount is equal to $3.37 per acre foot." The draft before the board would be used when a change…