| OCR Text |
Show highly developed by Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and Central Utah Water Conservancy District projects, it is expected that already diverted and developed water will be converted from agricultural uses to meet M& I demands, rather than large, new water projects being developed. M& I uses tend to consume similar quantities of water per acre as do agricultural uses. Another mitigating factor may be the importation of Uinta Basin water to the GSL Basin by the Central Utah Project ( CUP). The total estimated flow from the Uinta Basin, including the completion of the CUP, will be approximately 195,000 acre- feet per year ( af7yr). Presently approximately 95,000 af/ yr enter the GSL Basin from the Uinta Basin. This inflow reduces human impact on lowering the Great Salt Lake. In the Bear River Basin, it is expected that major new water diversions and developments will occur. Alternatives for development of water resources in the GSL drainage area have been documented in the Utah State Water Plans. These plans guide management and development of water resources in the GSL drainage basin, but are not for the purposes of managing inflow, level or surface area of GSL. These plans are available from DWRe. Changes in Water Diversions from Great Salt Lake Administration of Water Rights and Diversions The diversion of water from GSL is governed by the same Utah water appropriation laws and regulations as the diversion of water from streams, springs or wells. Under Utah law, all waters of the state are the property of the public ( Utah Code 73- 1- 1). A water right secures to an individual or entity the right to divert the water and place it to a recognized beneficial use. All water rights in the state are administered by the State Engineer with the assistance of DWRi staff. A water right is acquired by filing an application with the State Engineer and receiving approval. If the application is approved, the applicant generally has three years to develop the project, place the water to beneficial use and submit proof of the beneficial use to the State Engineer. Extensions of time for filing proof can be requested. An unapproved water right is considered to be the personal property of the applicant. Once proof of beneficial use is submitted defining the quantity of water developed and the water uses, the State Engineer issues a Certificate of Appropriation which the applicant files with the local county recorder. At this point, the water right is said to be perfected, and is considered to be real property. For an application to be approved for development, the following conditions must exist: ( 1) there must be unappropriated water in the proposed source; ( 2) the proposed use must not interfere with existing rights or interfere with a more beneficial use of the water; ( 3) the proposed development must be physically and economically feasible and not detrimental to public welfare; ( 4) the applicant must have the financial ability to complete the proposed works; and ( 5) the application must be filed in good faith and not for speculation or monopoly ( Utah Code Annotated, 1953). If there is reason to believe that an application will interfere with a more 19 |
