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8 Cosponsors:
9 Walt Brooks
V. Lowry Snow
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11 LONG TITLE
12 General Description:
13 This concurrent resolution addresses Utah's use of its Colorado River compact
14 allocation.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 ▸ acknowledges Utah's status as signatory of certain Colorado River compacts and
18 other documents;
19 ▸ acknowledges the need for future use of Utah's Colorado River compact allocation;
20 ▸ acknowledges Utah's efforts related to Drought Contingency Plans and Colorado
21 River Interim Guidelines;
22 ▸ encourages the state to expeditiously develop and place to beneficial use, the water
23 apportioned to Utah under the Compacts, consistent with the Law of the River;
24 ▸ encourages the state and local water users to continue to explore and implement
25 practices that promote water efficiency; and
26 ▸ encourages the state to coordinate and cooperate with the specified federal agency
27 and the other Colorado River basin states to implement the Drought Control Plans
28 and to engage in the re-consultation on the Colorado River Interim Guidelines.
29 Special Clauses:
30 None
31
32 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
33 WHEREAS, as used in this resolution, "Compact" means the following compacts to
34 which Utah is a signatory, the Colorado River Compact of 1922 and the 1948 Upper Colorado
35 River Compact;
36 WHEREAS, Utah is a signatory to numerous documents in addition to the 1922 and the
37 1948 Compacts commonly referred to as the Law of the River;
38 WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Compacts, Utah is entitled to the beneficial
39 consumptive use, wherever in the state the need may arise, of 23% of the Upper Basin's
40 allocation under the 1922 Compact;
41 WHEREAS, to date, Utah has not fully developed and placed to beneficial consumptive
42 use its portion of the Compact allocation;
43 WHEREAS, the future development and use by Utah of the state's portion of the
44 Compact allocation will be necessary to meet the needs of an expanding economy and growing
45 population;
46 WHEREAS, Utah intends to use both its currently available and future water supplies
47 in an efficient and responsible manner;
48 WHEREAS, Utah is also aware of the need to account for, and adapt to, changing
49 climatic conditions, including the impact of such conditions on future water supply availability
50 within the Colorado River basin;
51 WHEREAS, Utah has worked cooperatively with the other Colorado River basin states
52 in the drafting and recent adoption of the Drought Contingency Plan agreements and associated
53 federal legislation;
54 WHEREAS, Utah intends to coordinate and cooperate with the other Colorado River
55 basin states and the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, in the implementation
56 of the Drought Contingency Plans; and
57 WHEREAS, Utah also intends to coordinate and cooperate with the Department of the
58 Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and the other Colorado River basin states in the
59 re-consultation on the Colorado River Interim Guidelines:
60 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
61 Governor concurring therein, encourage:
62 (1) the state, through its agencies with water supply responsibilities, including the
63 Division of Water Resources and the Division of Water Rights, to expeditiously develop and
64 place to beneficial use wherever within the state the need may arise, the water apportioned to
65 Utah under the Compacts, consistent with the Law of the River;
66 (2) the state, through its agencies with water supply responsibilities, and local water
67 users, to continue to explore and implement practices that promote water efficiency and water
68 conservation; and
69 (3) the state, through its agencies with water supply responsibilities, to coordinate and
70 cooperate with the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, and the other Colorado
71 River basin states in the timely implementation of the Drought Control Plans and the
72 completion of the re-consultation on the Colorado River Interim Guidelines, while ensuring
73 that the state's lawful interest in Colorado River waters is fully protected.