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Show Some of the Weber Basin Project irrigation water is still unobligated. Some landowners to " be served " by the Layton Canal and the proposed Warren Canal enlargement did not purchase the Weber Basin Project water that was designated for their areas; as a result, this water is still unobligated. At present, 56,500 acre- feet of water are available in Willard Reservoir. The quality of this water is too poor for direct municipal and industrial uses. However, it could be exchanged for high quality water in the Davis- Weber Canal. It is estimated that only about 80 percent of this water could be converted to firm municipal and industrial supplies because of irrigation shortages represented in estimates of yield and because of a change from an irrigation- demand pattern to a municipal- and- industrial demand pattern. Exchanges from Willard Reservoir for municipal and industrial purposes would require 150,000 acre- feet of additional storage on the upper Weber River to regulate the flows and make the exchange. A firm municipal and high quality industrial water supply of about U5,000 acre- feet annually would then be available to Salt Lake County. This is only about one- half the amount developed for this purpose by the Bonneville Unit and is therefore not a complete alternative. This is also less water than the 50,000 acre- feet that is already under contract from Bonneville Unit by the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District. There are several other possible uses for some of the remaining water in Willard Reservoir. A plan has been proposed for using 20,000 or 30,000 acre- feet of this water on an interim basis in the Bear River Bird Refuge. This water could also be used for a large inactive pool for fish and wildlife purposes in the Willard Reservoir. A larger inactive pool would enhance the recreational complex being planned at Willard Reservoir by the Utah State Division of Parks and Recreation. The present inactive storage capacity in Willard Reservoir is 17,000 acre- feet. Increasing the inactive storage capacity in Willard Reservoir would decrease the potential average annual yield of 86,000 acre- feet. This water could also be used for watering lawns. Roy Subdistrict is constructing a separate pressure irrigation system for city lots, and Layton is planning a similar system. With this dual system lower quality water from Willard Reservoir could be used for watering lawns, and the higher quality water in the culinary system could be conserved for human consumption and other indoor uses. Willard Reservoir water 535 |
