Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bear River Watershed Report topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Bear River Watershed Council reports tours, economic study and Logan River projects
Summary
The Bear River Watershed Council described recent field tours of Cutler Dam and Bear Lake facilities, an economic impact study of the basin and planning work on the Logan River Watershed Project including options to pipe canals and pressurize delivery.
Mark Hurd, chair of the Bear River Watershed Council, reported on the council’s recent activities including two field tours, an economic impact study and coordination on the Logan River Watershed Project.
The council toured Cutler Dam operations, hosted by Rocky Mountain Power, to better understand reservoir operations and impacts on Bear River flows. A second tour focused on Bear Lake infrastructure — Stewart Dam, lift and pump stations, Mud Lake and the Bear Lake Outlet Canal — to see how inflow and discharge are managed. Hurd said the visits included students and local stakeholders and drew media coverage.
Hurd summarized regional context: the Bear River flows through three states, supports irrigated agriculture on an estimated 850,000 acres across the basin (about 75% irrigated from Bear River or watershed sources), and contributes several billion dollars in economic impact across multiple industries, according to a collaborative economic study the council noted. Speakers clarified that Utah accounts for roughly 46–47% of the water use within the basin; the council intends follow‑up to better define cross‑border acreage and use.
On mineral extraction, council members who toured Lilac Solutions’ pilot lithium extraction site at the north end of Great Salt Lake said the technology is designed for minimal lake depletion and could produce substantial lithium at scale; the council discussed potential royalty streams that would be directed to Great Salt Lake management under recent legislation. Council members noted the Sovereign Lands Management account currently receives about $8–11 million a year from existing royalties and fees.
Hurd described the Logan River Watershed Project and the Crockett Avenue diversion, which serves multiple canal companies and communities in the Logan area. The council said the environmental impact study due this fall will inform choices among options — repair, replace or relocate the diversion — and noted one likely direction is piping open‑channel canals and providing pressurized delivery for secondary water users to reduce culinary demand. The project would affect several cities and multiple canal companies and is expected to change outdoor irrigation delivery in affected service areas.
The Bear River council plans to meet in October and expects an environmental report on the Logan River project to be available then. Hurd invited questions and said the council will continue outreach and coordination with stakeholders.
