Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Water Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Division to release draft State Water Plan for public comment; board hears presentation and Q&A
Summary
Division of Water Resources staff said a draft of the updated Utah State Water Plan will be released for public comment in late July, with a 30–45 day comment period and a final publication targeted for December 2026; the board discussed stakeholder outreach and next steps.
The Utah Division of Water Resources told the Board of Water Resources that it will release a draft of the updated State Water Plan for public comment in late July, beginning a 30–45 day review before a final plan is expected in December 2026.
Stephanie McGinness, the Division presenter, described the plan as a “strategic framework” intended to guide decision-making about Utah’s water resources. She said the update — shaped in part by House Bill 280 (2024) — will include nine chapters covering current conditions, risks and governance, and a basin-by-basin perspective; the update aims to prioritize roughly 35–40 recommendations focused on reliability and resilience, collaboration and stewardship.
McGinness said the Division modeled how climate and population changes will affect supply and demand, emphasized investments in healthy watersheds and agriculture, and noted the plan will capture a water budget of current supply and use. The draft will include specific recommendations and a basin-chapter that highlights successes and needs across the state’s 11 basins.
Board members asked how watershed-council input had been incorporated. McGinness said watershed councils and conservancy districts were consulted repeatedly during drafting and that she and staff had worked with 40–50 agency and local staff to prepare the document. She asked board members to help distribute the public-comment draft once it is released; board members said they would circulate it through their networks.
Timetable and public input
McGinness said the plan will be posted for formal public comment in late July (the team targeted a release around July 21), with a virtual open house planned to walk through the draft and take questions. After the comment period closes, the Division will review feedback and publish a final plan by December.
Why it matters
Board members and staff emphasized that the plan is intended to guide long-term planning for communities, agriculture and the environment amid prolonged drought and changing hydrology. The update explicitly addresses increased drought risk, Colorado River concerns and the Great Salt Lake, and is meant to align recommendations across agencies and stakeholders.
What’s next
The Division will release the draft for public comment and provide materials for board members to share; the board will receive the final plan when it is published.
