The original sponsor of the Lake Powell Pipeline in the Utah Legislature rebutted a recent letter suggesting that Nevadans question the pipeline. Several points beg clarification:
• The pipeline would use an Upper Basin transfer (from Flaming Gorge) to a Lower Basin community (Washington County, Utah), requiring approval from Congress and the other Colorado River Compact states, which likely would not approve in anticipation of shortages.
• Utah alleges it’s entitled to 1.4 million acre-feet yearly, but it’s really entitled to just 23% of what remains after the Upper Basin satisfies the Lower Basin’s 7.5 million acre-feet allocation. The river’s historical yearly flows are about 13.5 million acre-feet. Subtracting anticipated climate impacts (30%, or 4 million acre-feet), Mexican/tribal rights (2 million) and reservoir evaporation (1.5 million) leaves 6 million acre-feet. Even assuming a 50-50 split between basins, Utah would get 0.69 million acre-feet a year, much less than its current use, leaving less than none for the pipeline.
• Washington County wastes water, using 300 gallons per capita daily, much more than many thriving Southwest communities, while resisting calls for more active conservation. Its projected growth can be accommodated with well-managed local water.
In choosing to risk billions of taxpayer dollars trying to grab more water despite its wasteful use, Utah forces legal challenges from Nevada and other compact states. For more details, visit
conserveswu.org/water-lake-powell-pipeline.
The writer is board president of Conserve Southwest Utah.