Commission hears warnings about potential Flaming Gorge releases, regional water impacts

Daggett County commissioners spent part of their Feb. 3 meeting discussing regional water-management proposals and potential impacts to Flaming Gorge and downstream reservoirs.

An unidentified speaker (S6) who attended a Colorado River Authority caucus reported there has been consideration of releasing another 500,000 acre-feet from Flaming Gorge to Lake Powell. "They're looking at and maybe you've already heard this of dumping another 500,000 acre feet out of the gorge down to Powell," S6 said, adding the prospect could be "catastrophic" in local terms depending on water levels and timing.

S6 described potential economic and operational consequences: marina operations and reservoir-dependent businesses could face significant disruption if releases proceed in a way that lowers local reservoir levels. S6 said negotiations among governors and federal leaders remain fluid and that litigation or a federal fallback plan could determine the final outcome.

The commission did not take formal action on the topic but acknowledged the need to monitor federal and interstate negotiations and to follow Colorado River Authority updates. S6 advised commissioners and staff to watch for further communications from state and regional entities and to track any rule changes or litigation outcomes that might affect local water supplies, reservoir levels and related infrastructure.

The exchange was informational; staff and commissioners agreed to continue watching developments and to seek more detailed briefings as needed from regional partners.