Bluff council backs start of Secondary Water working group to protect water rights

Bluff — The Bluff Town Council on March 3 endorsed creating a Secondary Water Working Group to protect and begin activating the town’s secondary water rights.

Mayor Josh Ewing and Councilmember Gary Haws described prior meetings and said forming a working group is intended to show intent and preserve the town’s water rights. Patrick McDermott, invited to the meeting, offered to lead initial efforts and recommended a low-cost initial approach: “Start with few residential ‘test runs’ by installing low pressure systems that are filled by water trucks,” McDermott said. He described that as a way to establish proof of use while pursuing more permanent infrastructure such as buried piping and river-fed systems, plus ancillary projects like a tree nursery and homeowner assistance for planting.

Councilmembers spoke in favor of taking steps that demonstrate use of the rights; Nelson said the working group would include an appointed council liaison (Gary Haws), representation from USU Extension and Bluff Water Works and that a budget amendment could fund initial work. McDermott also noted multiple grant and partnership opportunities tied to source protection and riparian restoration.

The discussion was preliminary; the council’s action at the March 3 meeting was to support moving forward with the working-group concept and to consider a budget amendment to fund initial activities.