Division of Water Resources outlines state water plan update and seeks council feedback in May and July

Stephanie McInness, state water plan manager with the Division of Water Resources, gave an extended overview of the state water plan update and asked the advisory council to provide feedback on draft materials expected in early May and during a July public comment period ahead of a December final.

McInness summarized the plan’s statutory purpose and structure: it is intended as a framework to support informed decision‑making and must be updated at least every 10 years (House Bill 280) though the Division aims for roughly five‑year updates. The plan will identify current and future water resources, recommend actionable strategies, and include nine chapters covering current conditions, risks and uncertainty, governance, and three focus areas — healthy watersheds and ecosystems, vibrant communities, and productive agriculture — plus basin‑level perspectives.

Technical elements described include a statewide water budget (diversions, depletions, return flows) with a model run through 2024, trend analyses (1989–2024) and scenario modeling for climate and population. McInness emphasized attention to Great Salt Lake basins throughout the plan rather than siloing the lake into a single chapter, and said the plan will highlight threats such as invasive species, wildfire, pollution, and infrastructure gaps. She noted that basin chapters will identify specific challenges and a success story from each basin.

Council members asked for concrete, decision‑oriented scenarios (for example: how much discretionary outdoor water could be removed to sustain a healthy lake while meeting essential municipal needs) and whether the plan will address institutional architecture and funding for watershed councils. McInness said the plan will include scenario modeling and recommendations and invited the council to help identify champions for implementation steps; she also said the Division will continue outreach and that staff will support follow‑up implementation starting in January 2027.

McInness closed by asking council members to sign up for email updates via the state water plan web page and to submit comments on the draft in May. The council thanked her for outreach work and discussed potential historical models (Central Utah Project) to structure incentives and conservation commitments.