Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Rights topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Garfield County commissioners back probing lost water rights, consider state appropriation for studies
Summary
County commissioners agreed to pursue records and potential funding after an irrigation group asked the commission to help locate historic Sevier River storage rights and to explore repairs or new storage capacity; staff and commissioners agreed to consult the state engineer before spending local funds.
Garfield County commissioners agreed to help an irrigation company search for long‑lost water rights and to explore state funding for engineering and legal work to restore storage capacity on the Sevier River.
At the meeting, irrigation representatives told the commission they need assistance to determine where historic storage credits went after earlier reservoir changes. The group asked the county to consider an initial appropriation to hire counsel and consultants to research records and, if necessary, pursue rights. An irrigation representative said an initial $10,000 would “get the ball rolling” to retain an attorney to track rights.
County staff and commissioners discussed options to reduce upfront costs by first asking the state engineer’s office to compile existing documents. Speaker 1 (presiding commissioner) said county staff already have a large file compiled during a 2018 governor’s initiative and that the state engineer’s records could save money. Speaker 3 (public works/roads staff) recommended NRCS feasibility programs if the water right can be reestablished: "NRCS will do feasibility, design and contribute toward construction," staff said, noting NRCS can cover a large share of project costs once water rights and feasibility are in order.
Commissioners described prior storage figures as a key issue: participants said the original reservoir capacity was about 6,000 acre‑feet but current permitted storage is approximately 2,300 acre‑feet, and recovering the missing storage would change the feasibility of new reservoir construction. Chair noted a 2018 feasibility study, including core sampling and engineering, cost roughly $500,000 to reach its recommendations.
The board directed staff to ask the state engineer for records and to prepare a formal request (a request for appropriation) for consideration at the next commission meeting. The commissioners emphasized they preferred using free or low‑cost state resources first and then seeking a state appropriation to establish a county fund for attorneys and consultants only if necessary.
What's next: County staff will follow up with the state engineer’s office and return to the commission with an appropriation request and recommended next steps at a future meeting.
