Emerytown officials and irrigation group urge urgent planning as drought threatens culinary water

Misty Christiansen, speaking for Emerytown and the Muddy Creek Irrigation Company, told the Emery County Public Lands Council the town faces an "extreme drought year" and "possible loss of culinary water later this year." She invited elected officials and agency staff to a public meeting on June 18 at 4 p.m. (venue later updated to the senior citizen center) to coordinate short-term emergency responses and long-term storage solutions.

Christiansen described preliminary feasibility work for a downstream site called Moores Bend, noting studies have identified an approximately 1,000-acre-foot site and that earlier reservoir funding streams were disrupted a decade ago. She said existing higher-elevation storage (Larson's/Emery Reservoir and Julius) is limited by elevation and conveyance losses; releasing stored water at rates sufficient to serve the town for a full year would likely not reach town demand without a lower-elevation reservoir or other measures.

Council members and agency staff discussed short-term measures such as temporary pumping, hauling water if required, and potential repairs to higher-elevation reservoirs (e.g., a prior breach at Hennington). Misty and others urged coordination with the governor's office and federal delegation to identify potential funding and technical support.

Council members voted to draft a letter of support for Emerytown to explore storage- and funding-options; staff said they would prepare the letter and coordinate with Misty and county commissioners. The letter is intended to document council support and help assemble interagency resources for short- and long-term solutions.