Garfield County commissioners weigh state of emergency after Tropic Reservoir drawdown

At a Garfield County Commission meeting (date not specified), commissioners discussed declaring a state of emergency after a state engineerorder to divert water that county officials say has left the highway and downstream Otter Creek areas dry.

Commissioners said the State Water Commission has ordered releases that left Tropic Reservoir effectively empty and diverted roughly 11,000 acre-feet of water for irrigation upstream of Otter Creek. The commission scheduled testimony before the State Water Commission later this month and discussed drafting a joint county resolution and a letter thanking Representative Carl Albrecht for his help and asking for further attention to the matter.

The discussion centered on whether the state engineerorder was being implemented in a way that ignored longstanding local agreements. "It's bone dry at the highway," the presiding official said, describing conditions where the diverted flow does not reach downstream locations county residents expect. The official also said commissioners had witnesses and documentary history to present and that staff had prepared a PowerPoint for upcoming hearings.

Commissioners described the technical and legal locus of the dispute: they said the state engineer has broad authority under state water law to schedule and order diversions, and county officials indicated that an agreement written roughly 60 years ago had not been enforced until now. The presiding official said commissioners would testify to the State Water Commission and that several local witnesses would appear to describe impacts on downstream irrigation and communities.

Specific next steps discussed included: submitting a joint letter to Representative Carl Albrecht, preparing county testimony and the PowerPoint for the hearing, and drafting a county resolution declaring a state of emergency to draw public and agency attention. "I think we need to do a state of emergency. I really do because of this," the presiding official said. Commissioner Debs expressed support for immediate action and emphasized the potential for significant impacts on Bryce Valley farmers and ranchers.

Commissioners identified procedural constraints: a county resolution would not supersede state water law but could be used to elevate the issue and seek relief or expedited consideration. Staff said a resolution could be drafted quickly; one staff member noted about 24 hours' notice would be advisable for a formal county resolution. Commissioners also discussed contacting the local Farm Service Agency office about drought relief programs for affected producers.

The commission did not take a formal vote on a resolution or emergency declaration during the meeting. Commissioners directed staff to circulate the PowerPoint and supporting history, prepare a draft resolution and letter for joint signature, and coordinate testimony for the State Water Commission hearing on June 17 and 18 (testimony scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. on June 17, according to commissioners).