Surveying principles1

Tooele Valley Groundwater Change Application Guidelines

S. Ross Hansen P.E., L.S.

Region Engineer9/7/2011

Tooele Water Users Workshop

2Surveying principles

OverviewOverviewHistory of the Groundwater Change App.

Policy.What is the Tooele Valley Groundwater

Change Application Policy.Conceptual Future Groundwater Flow.Future Change App. Administration.

3Surveying principles

VocabularyVocabulary

Acre-foot - An acre of land 1’ deep water CFS - Cubic Feet per Second G.W. – Groundwater POD – Point of Diversion S.E. – State Engineer State Engineer’s Office a.k.a. Division of Water

Rights UGS - Utah Geological Survey USGS – United States Geological Survey

Surveying principles4

Tooele MapTooele Map

5Surveying principles

History of the Groundwater History of the Groundwater Change PolicyChange Policy In 2007 we were inundated with cross valley

change application filings Meeting were held on:

– August 28, 2007 S.E. expressed concern that moving multiple paper rights to the East side of the valley could cause future interference issues.

– April 24, 2008 to propose a change application policy be implemented

Comments were submitted pursuant to the meeting

– July 22, 2008 to implement the policy. Effective date of policy April 16, 2008

6Surveying principles

Understanding the Tooele Understanding the Tooele Valley Groundwater Change Valley Groundwater Change Application PolicyApplication Policy

How it was derived Policy summary What it does What it doesn’t

Surveying principles7

Hydrologic ConnectionHydrologic ConnectionRecharge / DischargeRecharge / Discharge

Erda

Tooele

Lincoln

Marshall

Lake Point

Grantsville

Surveying principles8

Water Right DistributionWater Right Distribution

Recharge: 15,226Permitted Use: 7,970 Difference: 7,257Percent under: 48%

Recharge: 43,160Permitted Use: 48,595Difference: -5,435Percent over: 13%

Recharge: 16,910Permitted Use: 27,404Difference: -10,494Percent over: 62%

Total Recharge: 75,297Total Permitted Use: 83,969Total Difference: -8,672Percent over: 12%

9Surveying principles

Tooele Valley Groundwater Tooele Valley Groundwater Change Application PolicyChange Application Policy Policy Summary

– Can’t Cross Into Eastern Zone– Buffer 3 Miles East Perpendicular to Flow Path

Change App. Specifics– Multiple Water Rights

Each Water Right Will Be Evaluated Individually Most Restrictive Water Right Will Govern

– Multiple Points of Diversion Based On Eastern Most Well

– Applications Will Still Be Considered On Their Own Merit

Surveying principles10

Map graphically showing 3 mile Map graphically showing 3 mile buffer and East zonebuffer and East zone

3 mile

11Surveying principles

Understanding the Tooele Understanding the Tooele Valley Groundwater Change Valley Groundwater Change Application PolicyApplication Policy

What the policy does: Creates some semblance of order and certainty

– Allows WR holders to predict outcome before filing

– Allows the S.E. to make more timely decisions on change application

Protects the East side from further over- appropriation

– Stops future interference issues

12Surveying principles

Understanding the Tooele Understanding the Tooele Valley Groundwater Change Valley Groundwater Change Application PolicyApplication Policy

What the policy does not: It does not “divide” the valley into 3 sections

– The SE continues to administer the valley as one hydrologic system

It is not the “end all” answer when considering change applications

– Each application is considered on its own merits

Surveying principles13

Water Right DistributionWater Right Distribution

Recharge: 15,226Permitted Use: 7,970 Difference: 7,257Percent under: 48%

Recharge: 43,160Permitted Use: 48,595Difference: -5,435Percent over: 13%

Recharge: 16,910Permitted Use: 27,404Difference: -10,494Percent over: 62%

Total Recharge: 75,297Total Permitted Use: 83,969Total Difference: -8,672Percent over: 12%

Surveying principles14

Hydrologic ConnectionHydrologic ConnectionFuture conceptual drawingFuture conceptual drawing

Erda

Tooele

Lincoln

Marshall

Lake Point

Grantsville

15Surveying principles

Future of Change Application Future of Change Application AdministrationAdministration

Continue to administer and make decisions based on current policy

If data is brought before us we will consider it and incorporate if need be

16Surveying principles

Where to Get More Policy Info.Where to Get More Policy Info. Water Rights web site

– http://waterrights.utah.gov/

17Surveying principles

QUESTIONS??QUESTIONS??

Thank you