Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Allocation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House affirms Central Utah Project allocation, resisting calls to reassign remaining water to Wasatch Front
Summary
The Utah House passed HJR6, endorsing completion of the Central Utah Project as originally authorized and directing water to designated southern counties, after extensive floor debate over federal ownership, conversion costs and regional impact. The resolution passed 58–16.
The Utah House of Representatives passed a resolution affirming that remaining water from the Central Utah Project (CUP) should be completed and allocated as originally intended, a move supporters said honors federal commitments and local taxpayers. Representative Johnson introduced HJR6, saying: "Our findings were that we should just complete the project." The resolution passed the House 58–16 and will be referred to the Senate.
The measure grew out of a Natural Resources Committee review and a unanimous recommendation from the State Water Development Commission, Johnson said, aimed at finishing the CUP to deliver water to Juab and southern Utah counties. Supporters argued the project is an act of Congress and should not be altered by state action. "It would take an act of congress to bring this north," Representative Brad King said, framing the vote as upholding federal commitments.
Opponents from parts of the Wasatch Front pressed for clarification on whether diverting the remaining allotment northward would be feasible or prudent. Representative Jones and others asked whether converting irrigation-subsidized CUP water to municipal use would trigger large federal paybacks. Johnson and witnesses clarified the federal ownership and financing constraints: federal sponsorship of irrigation water subsidizes repayment terms, and converting uses could incur substantial repayment obligations.
Committee witnesses and members said the remaining 15,000 acre-feet at issue would not satisfy long-term Wasatch Front demand and that moving water north could jeopardize existing inflows to reservoirs, including Jordanelle. Representative Johnson also described testimony from the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District manager supporting completion of the original allocations.
Floor debate touched on counties that have opted out of CUP participation and on the economics of converting irrigation to municipal supply. Several members urged broad perspective, saying some CUP water historically returns to the valley via streamflow and recharge, while others emphasized commitments to southern counties that have contributed taxes over decades.
With debate concluded, Johnson gave summation and the House voted to pass HJR6. The resolution will next be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.
