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Show 65 However, my pond that I used for gravity flow irrigation in the areas that I have overflowed the overflow last year and I irrigated until the first of June with water that was normally- and that was the normal thing to do, overflow in June. This year that pond didn't fill up to a third. This year no runoff came into that pond, it just didn't fill up. That's a difference that I have experienced this year. So this year is an entirely different year than anything I have ever dealt with. And I have tried to explain again in my report that I have spent thousands of dollars piping water from springs to move out where there would be grazing available and that hasn't been over- grazed because of limited water supply in that dry arid area. The springs have all gone dry. They have never been dry before but they are now. Ms. WOOLSEY. Okay. I think I have taken enough time. Thank you. Mr. BAIRD. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks to the witnesses for your testimony. Mr. Ovard, I am trying to remember the growth rate, the time frame and growth rate. Mr. OVARD. It was 70 percent over the next 30 years. WATER CONSUMPTION REDUCTION GOALS Mr. BAIRD. The reason I ask is because I recognize, I am not trying to put you on the spot, I just sense a train wreck. And some place I saw in your conversation that the plan, that the goal is to reduce water use by 20 percent, and if you are seeing a population increase of 70 percent and water reduction of 20 percent, you have got a problem. Mr. OVARD. We have updated that since. In fact, last Monday my board has reset that goal to reduce by 25 percent over the next 25 years and wanted to do it in much shorter time frame than this but economics weren't there. It is kind of scary to reduce your income faster than your growth. It is hard to make sure debt service payments are met. Mr. BAIRD. That's a net decrease of 25 percent per capita? Mr. OVARD. Per capita. Mr. BAIRD. I have got you. So that's still, your net is going to be a problem. Mr. OVARD. Yes. We know that we need to do a lot better and in the words of our governor last summer as he was urging conservation, he set a goal for the state to reduce water consumption 25 percent or 50 percent. So we have had that already and I think we would like to even have that more if we could, but it is going to take- we are working on the public awareness, education, and we kind of come to a late start on that. We are working very hard on it. It is our goal to make Utah a model for conservation for the entire nation. Mr. BAIRD. That's a worthwhile quest. I raised the question not to put you on the spot. And these numbers aren't going to lighten the load up. Here we live in the desert, that's one of the things you learn, you have got to live accordingly, I suppose. I am interested in whom you have talked to about CPR land. I am interested in the impact on that, the long- term implications of it. Maybe these panelists aren't supposed to ask, I am just curious about it. |