Utah water official briefs Emery County Public Lands Council on recent water bills, Colorado River deadline and new Water Right Network

Emery County Public Lands Council members heard a legislative and program update from Cash Stallings, regional engineer for the Utah Division of Water Rights, who summarized multiple bills affecting state water policy, federal reserve-style claims on public lands and new state investments in mapping and data tools.

Stallings told the council the Legislature approved changes intended to strengthen groundwater monitoring and emphasize the state water plan. “Legislatures are going to use the state water plan to make funding decisions,” Stallings said, urging local stakeholders to get projects into the plan so they will be considered for funding.

The update covered several bill categories and near-term deadlines that could affect water users in Emery County. Stallings highlighted: (1) state water policy amendments that emphasize groundwater-quality monitoring and the state water plan; (2) clarifying changes to water-right application and reinstatement processes; (3) new state parameters for so-called PWR-107 claims that apply to springs and stock-watering…