Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Meeting Votes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Votes at a glance: commission approves several project funding actions; accepts irrigation infrastructure study
Summary
The Water Development Commission and Select Water Committee approved a set of funding actions including acceptance of a closeout study, a $300,000 interagency transfer for West Fork land exchange, $365,000 sponsor contingency for Happy Valley, and authorizing state construction funds for a Goshen tunnel rehabilitation.
The Water Development Commission and the Select Water Committee voted on a series of project actions and funding motions during their May 7 joint session. Key outcomes:
- Critical Aging Irrigation Infrastructure (CAII) Level 1 study: The commission accepted the final CAII Level 1 study closeout and directed staff to close the consultant contract. The study, managed by the Water Development Office and conducted with Trihydro, surveyed irrigation conveyances and estimated replacement costs for a top 30 listing of structures; the office noted a 2022 legislative appropriation of $500,000 for the study and a final contract amount of $495,000 with a modest savings. The commission approved a motion accepting the project closeout.
- West Fork Reservoir land exchange: The commission approved, upon Attorney General review and approval, an interagency agreement and the transfer of $300,000 from the West Fork Reservoir appropriation to the Office of State Lands and Investments to fund Forest Service collection agreement costs and consultant work needed to initiate a land exchange. The Select Water Committee reviewed and recommended approval; commissioners voted to approve the interagency agreement and the transfer (motion by Commissioner Anselmi‑Dalton; second by Commissioner Kaley).
- Happy Valley Water Transmission and Storage: The commission approved using sponsor contingency funds to provide 50% of a contingency request, totaling $365,000, to the Happy Valley Water Transmission and Storage project (motion by Commissioner Anselmi‑Dalton; second by Commissioner Hosey). The Select Water Committee had reviewed and recommended the contingency earlier.
- Goshen Irrigation District (GID) Tunnels 1 and 2 rehabilitation: The commission and the Select Water Committee recommended and then approved allowing disbursement of $41,810,000 of state construction funding currently allocated to the GID Tunnels 1 and 2 rehabilitation to be used for rehabilitation of Tunnel 2. Select committee members emphasized the sponsor’s efforts to secure additional federal grant funds and the desire to reduce borrowing and interest costs; commissioners voted to allow disbursement for Tunnel 2 (motion by Commissioner Hosey; second by Commissioner Kaley).
Votes were recorded by voice; roll‑call tallies were not provided in the transcript. All four items listed above were approved in voice votes with no recorded dissents.
Ending
Commissioners and legislators framed the actions as consistent with the commission’s statutory role in advancing water development projects, while several members pressed staff and sponsors to continue pursuing federal partnerships and to return with more concrete progress at future meetings.
