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Lawmakers hear Bear River planning pitch; presenters seek $1.25 million for next phase
Summary
A committee‑as‑a‑whole presentation urged the House to fund planning work on the Bear River water development, with presenters warning of multi‑decade lead times and estimating total development costs at $250–$300 million.
Senators, representatives and water managers told the Utah House on Jan. 26 that time is limited to plan large‑scale water projects and urged immediate investment in further study of the Bear River.
Senator Holmgren, chairing the Bear River task force, asked lawmakers to approve $1,250,000 to fund the next planning phase for the Bear River — work he described as the “frustrating phase” where site selection and conveyance options are finalized. "We are requesting here a million and a quarter dollars as the first phase of what's required," Holmgren said.
Speakers representing conservancy districts and the Division of Water Resources outlined why they see urgency. Dave Olward, general manager of the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District, said the district’s demand projections and models anticipate supply shortages after the state’s current projects are fully allocated. Ivan Flint of the Weber Basin Conservancy District echoed the need for an additional supply and said local studies show shortages in the first decades of the 21st century.
Larry Anderson, director of the Division of Water Resources, told the chamber that the Bear River basin has approximately 300,000 acre‑feet of undeveloped water but that developing that supply requires storage and conveyance. He summarized the planning needs (environmental data, water quality, updated cost estimates) and said planning work must proceed to avoid years of delay. On costs, Anderson said reservoir storage and conveyance to the Wasatch Front could push total development costs into the hundreds of millions of dollars. In response to a question about costs, Anderson said the range used by planners was "somewhere between $250,000,000 to $300,000,000 to develop the Bear River."
What’s next: Sponsors said the funding request is for planning and design; if approved, additional environmental and engineering work would follow. Legislators cautioned that the Bear River is interstate water and that Indian water rights, environmental analysis, storage and conveyance options must be addressed as part of further studies.
