Public Meeting at Moab

To Discuss Water Resource Issues

August 21, 2007

Agenda

• Navajo Settlement Agreement

• Federal Reserved Water Rights

Settlement Agreements forNatural Bridge

Arches

• Other issues

Water Rights Settlement Agreement Navajo Nation / State of Utah

• MOU entered into 2003

• The parties agreed to begin discussions

• Numerous meetings / discussions

Navajo NationWater Rights

There is no argument that the Navajo Nation have water rights,

the question is how much?

25 % Navajo haul water for

drinking & livestock use

Navajo Nation Potential Claims

• Winters v. United States, 1908

• Practicably irrigable acreage (PIA)

• NN water right claims (depletion)

– Irrigation 152,000 AF

– Municipal 9,000 AF– Industrial 5,800 AF

Proposed Provisions for a

Navajo Water Rights Settlement Agreement • Annual depletion – 81,000 AF

• Priority date: 1884, 1892 and 1933

• Inventory all existing uses

• Water resource project to deliver water to Monument Valley, Red Mesa et al

• Cooperative effort for federal funding

• Protect existing state appropriative water users

• Water used in Utah / Compacts

• Management and administration

Preliminary Subject to Revision

Utah’s Apportionment (23%) 1,369,000 AF

Current Depletion 1,007,500 AF

Remaining Depletion 361,500 AF

Utah’sUpper Colorado River

Entitlement & Current Depletions

Estimated Depletion – 2005Units – 1000 Acre Feet

Source: Division of Water Resources

• Agriculture/stock 591.4

• Municipal/Domestic 25.3

• Power/Industrial 44.6

• Exports/Imports 206.9

• Reservoir Evaporation 19.3

• Evaporation CRSP Res. 120.0

TOTAL 1007.5

Applicant Quantity (Ac Ft)San Juan County WCD 30,000Central Utah WCD 29,500Board of W R (et al) 158,000Wayne County WCD 50,000Kane County WCD 30,000Sanpete WCD 5,600Uintah County WCD 5,000Others (< 5000 AF) 80,000*Ute Tribe ? 105,000  TOTAL 493,100493,100

Potential DepletionApproved Applications (Undeveloped)

Applicant Quantity (Ac Ft) PrioritySJ County WCD 30,000 1966CUWCD 29,500 1965Bd of W R (et al) 158,000 1958Wayne CWCD 50,000 1960Kane CWCD 30,000 1964Sanpete WCD 5,600 1941Uintah CWCD 5,000 1965Others (< 5000 AF) 80,000 (40,000 < 1965) naUte Tribe ? 105,000 1861*Navajo Nation? 81,000 1884* 

Potential DepletionApproved Applications (Undeveloped)

DRAFT – Subject to revision

574,100

Adjudication Efforts

• 05-1 Castle Creek• In final review to

prepare for signature• Publication of

Proposed Determination is anticipated Fall 2007

• 05-3 Taylor Flat• Fieldwork has been

completed• Water rights are

being reviewed and field data compiled to prepare Statements of Water User’s Claims

Federal Reserved Rights

• Implied in Reservation

• Accomplish Reservation Purposes

• Minimum Amount

• Priority is date of Reservation

• Does not follow Prior Appropriation

Settlement Agreements

• Quantify reserved water rights

Administrative Uses

Insitu Uses• Address intervening existing state rights• Address protection (resource preservation)• Convert state applications to reserved right• Bring all rights under state administration• Implemented through general determination

Arches National Park

• Issues– Water for Campgrounds etc– Natural flows through park– Springs in Courthouse wash– Large SITLA land block

Arches Solution

• Administrative Uses (60 acft depletion)• Subordinate to existing rights (except

Dalton)• Limit on reservoirs upstream• Limit on upstream appropriation 150 acft• Adopt appropriation policy requiring

showing of no impact to springs in Courthouse Wash

Natural Bridges

• Issues– Limited source for administrative purposes– Undeveloped area– Upstream land in Federal ownership– Hanging Gardens (gw system)

Natural Bridges Solution

• Administrative Right (25 af)

• Upstream appropriation limitations– Limited to 200 af, 100 af surface– Storage limited to 20 af capacity– Armstrong/White Canyon 75 af– Burch/Deer Canyon 50 acft– GW Protection Zone (10 af / section)

Groundwater Studies

• Courthouse Wash

• Moab-Spanish Valley

• Blanding (Available fall 2007)

Available at http://waterrights.utah.gov

Trend line for reconstructed precipitation data

Departure from reconstructed average annual precipitation, El Malpais National Monument near Grants, New Mexico

(Data source: Grissino-Mayer, 1996)

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

-200 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000

Year

Dep

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Thank You

Questions?