Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Granite County commissioners agree to match reservoir outflows to inflows for now
Summary
After weeks of debate about raising scheduled releases, the commissioners voted to direct outflows to match inflows over the coming week and keep a 15 cubic-feet-per-second (CFS) operating target rather than increasing to 20 CFS.
Granite County commissioners on April 2 directed reservoir operators to match outflows to inflows over the coming week as staff and consultants continue to monitor snowpack and stream forecasts.
The action followed a presentation of a new hydrology report and a public debate among local operators and residents about whether the county should increase scheduled outflows from 15 CFS to 20 CFS. County staff said the consultant’s scenarios showed 15 CFS would provide more “wiggle room” to manage storage as spring runoff arrives, and that moving to 20 CFS now could make it harder to refill the reservoir if precipitation declines.
Commissioners and water managers said timing and agency coordination are part of the constraint. County officials noted that agreement from multiple agencies is often required before a temporary modification is implemented. Operators said they typically request higher outflows weekly because some agencies take days to respond.
An electrical-plant operator identified in public comment said the local objective is to match outflows with inflows and avoid large downstream surges. Public commenters, including Brad Lerman, urged caution because rapid dumping has in past years caused downstream erosion and property damage.
County staff and the consultant agreed to provide updated data more frequently while the county tests the matching approach. Commissioners asked staff to notify downstream operators and agencies promptly if inflows rise and additional outflow will be needed.
The decision was limited in scope to the coming week; commissioners reserved the right to revisit the operating target as forecasts and agency responses change.
