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Committee advances bills to create dedicated water applications and a state water‑leasing program for Great Salt Lake
Summary
The committee recommended two companion bills to help get water to the Great Salt Lake: HB 348 creates a dedicated‑water application to protect underlying water rights while directing water to in‑stream flows and sovereign lands; HB 410 creates a voluntary, temporary, state-run agricultural leasing program with a $5 million nonlapsing fund, measurement and reporting, and a 2‑of‑5‑years participation safeguard. Both bills passed unanimously out of committee.
Two companion bills aimed at increasing inflows to the Great Salt Lake were presented and advanced by the committee.
Representative Cofer introduced HB 348 (dedicated water amendments), which establishes a new dedicated-water application that allows water-right holders to commit water for in‑stream flows, sovereign-lands projects and reservoir purposes while protecting the underlying water right. The sponsor said the dedicated application "protects the underlying water right and it also protects agricultural land," and limits approvals so the same field cannot be approved for the full year more than 2 of every 5 years.
Representat…
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