A meeting was held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2011 in the conference room of DEREA in Beryl.  Attending from the state were: State Engineer Kent Jones, and staff members Kurt Vest, James Greer, and Jared Manning.  The water users in attendance were: LaDel Laub, Mike Brown, Kerry Holt, Bob Holt, Steve Jones, Mike Singleton, and Lee Bracken.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the draft Beryl / Enterprise Groundwater Management Plan document.  The document was essentially read and reviewed in detail. Some of the key points and items considered:

The approximate time frame estimated to achieve the safe yield objective may take up to  a 31,000 acre feet reduction in depletion and may take up to 120 years.  An adaptive management concept will be incorporated that will allow for amending the scheduled reductions if equilibrium or balance is achieved before the end date.

The depletion calculations will be made by the distribution system commissioner annually.  The baseline for the survey will assume all acreage was in the highest consumptive water use of alfalfa. It was noted that the conversion of approximately 1700 acres from alfalfa to corn this year has already achieved nearly half of the needed depletion reduction.  It was further noted that irrigation techniques and crop conversions can potentially achieve the goal for the first 20 years of the plan.  It was agreed that ultimately it will require a reduction in acreage to reach the final objective.

The document does not address culinary or domestic.  Internally the water users will have to resolve this matter and also the equity of some agricultural water users contributing a greater level of conservation than others.  It was noted that forming a local management district may help to address both of these matters and several other challenges with managing water rights other than by priority.

A meeting is being scheduled by the State Engineer for Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011 at 7:00 PM at he Enterprise High School auditorium.  It is expected that about 50 water users and over 500 culinary users will receive invitations.  Following that meeting another notice will be given and another comment period identified before the final adoption of the plan.

There was a general favorable attitude of partnership and agreement with both the document and the approach being taken.  All seemed to agree that having a groundwater management plan in place will bring to some certainty to the future of the valley.  The notice of meeting and the DRAFT Groundwater Management Plan can be found on the EVWUA website.

Chad explained the ability to do a pivot evaluation and analysis to measure watering efficiency.  There was  extensive discussion on alternative crops, consumptive use data, and irrigating efficiency.  It was also determined that many water users may not be aware of all of the programs and resources that are available to them.

An internet weather reporting station is active in the valley and submits data on a regular basis that can be found at:

www.extension.usu.edu/agweather

 Representing the State Engineers Office were Kent Jones, State Engineer, Boyd Clayton, Deputy State Engineer, Kurt Vest, Regional Manager.

President Mike Brown conducted the meeting.

There was a motion by Brad Bowler and second by Kerry Holt to approve the minutes of the May 25, 2010 meeting.  Voting was unanimous.

There was a motion by Marlo Reber and second by Steve Jones to approve the financial report dated May 24, 2011.  Voting was unanimous

Mike Brown reviewed the present Board makeup and the vacancies and then called for elections.  There was a motion by Nyal Bosshardt and second by Kerry Holt to suspend the rules and re-elect Bob Holt, Howard Bracken, Mike Brown, and Steve Jones to two year positions.  Voting Unanimous.

 LaDel Laub gave a power point presentation reviewing some history and some ideas to address the groundwater decline in the valley.  Lee Bracken provided some information and led a discussion on the concept of forming a local district.  Some advantages and challenges were reviewed.

 Kent Jones presented a DRAFT groundwater management plan document to be considered.  That document identified the excess depletion that is occurring in the valley and the approximate amount of reduction needed to achieve safe yield.  It provided a table that defined a schedule to reduce depletion that included a 5% reduction at the end of 20 years and another 5% reduction at the end of 40 years.  Using adaptive management the depletion would be monitored and re-evaluated and then reduced another 5% at the end of each 10 year cycle to the approximate year 2130 or until safe yield is achieved.  The plan would allow for a voluntary arrangement among users to accomplish the required reductions.  A public meeting will be scheduled in the fall the being the process for formalizing the groundwater management plan.  It was followed by extensive discussion. 

Among those attending were Mike Brown, LaDel Laub, Brad Bowler, Kerry Holt, Michael Singleton, Larry Shurtliff, Jared Holt, John Brown, Sherwood Bracken, Lee Bracken, Nyal Bosshardt, Ranon Reber, David Bosshardt, Marvin Bracken, Eric Jones, Steve Jones, Mark Jones, Marlo Reber, Phillip Gardner, Leon Platt, Klayton Holt, Robert Holt.

Salt Lake Tribune April 18, 2011

Utah State Sen. Dennis Stowell died Sunday at his home in Parowan. Stowell, a Republican, had waged a battle with cancer, yet pushed a dozen bills in the last legislative session, and earned the admiration of his lawmaking colleagues in the process.

“He was absolutely dedicated to water rights, the rural economy and lifestyle and preserving the agricultural roots of our state,” said Senate President Michael Waddoups in a statement on Sunday.

Stowell, 66, represented District 28, which includes Garfield, Kane, Iron, Beaver, Millard and part of Washington counties. He was also vice chairman of the Legislature’s appropriations committee.

During the last session, Stowell was still getting up by 5:30 or 6 in the morning and said he had attended all of the budget and leadership meetings. Several of his bills made it to the governor’s desk.

Utah State Representative Mike Noel, R-Kanab, said Sunday he had recently heard from Stowell’s son Kelly that he wasn’t doing too well.

“He was a tough, old cowboy,” Noel said. “He fought this right to the end.”

Noel said Stowell was dedicated to his constituents. He listened to them and worked hard for them.

“What he told you, you could take to the bank,” Noel said. “He was a good guy.”

Okerlund said Stowell was not only a successful public servant but also a successful family man. He had seven children and 17 grandchildren.

“It takes a special man to do that,” Okerlund said.

Kelly Stowell said his father died about 8:30 Sunday morning.

“The chemo didn’t work and it just got the best of him,” he said.

After the legislative session, Stowell went through one more chemotherapy treatment, then spent about three weeks at a cancer treatment center in Santa Barbara, which yielded some positive results, but the senator’s health continued to decline.

“I think everyone in his position is always looking for a miracle and he was doing a few different things,” Kelly Stowell said. “He was weak and he couldn’t walk very good, but some days were better than others.”

Kelly Stowell said his father tried to remain active, making phone calls on legislative business and managing the family’s ranch.

AGENDA

Welcome: Mike Brown, President

1. Financial Report – LaDel Laub

2. Elections to replace or reappoint expiring terms of Steve Jones, Mike Brown, Bob Holt, Howard Bracken.

3. Presentation of draft voluntary plan - LaDel Laub

4. Presentation from State of Utah – Kent Jones, State Engineer

5. Discussion on forming a managment district – Lee Bracken

6. Other business matters.

All farmers and irrigators are invited and encouraged to attend.

Board President Mike Brown conducted the meeting. 

Those present were: Mike Brown, LaDel Laub, Howard Bracken, Brad Bowler, Marlo Reber, Lee Bracken, Robert Holt, Cody Staheli, Steven Jones. 

Motion by Marlo, second by Howard to approve minutes of 4/26/2010 Unanimous

LaDel Laub passed out the most recent financial report followed by Motion by Robert, second by Lee to approve. Unanimous

Motion by Marlo, second by Robert to elect Mike Brown as Board President, Marlo Reber as Vice-President, and Lee Bracken as Secretary. Unanimous

There was a summary and discussion on the recent meeting with the State Engineer, Kent Jones.

LaDel reviewed a power point presentation that reflected some ideas and possible time frames for reducing water depletion in the valley.  (A copy of this presentation is available on the EVWUA web site under “History” entitled 2011 Draft plan)

There was a discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of forming a district to help manage the intent of the board.  Lee Bracken noted a meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday May 19th at 3:00 in St. George with LaGrand Bitter of the Utah Assn of Special Districts to discuss the possibility of forming a district. 

The agenda for the annual water users meeting scheduled for May 24th in Enterprise was established. 

Meeting adjourned at 10:30 am

A meeting was held in the DEREA conference room in Beryl on March 31, 2011 at 9:00 AM.  Present from the State of Utah were: Kent Jones, State Engineer, James Greer, Nathan Moses, and Kurt Vest.  Representing the valley water users were Mike Brown, LaDel Laub, Bob Holt, Kerry Holt, Steve Jones, Lee Bracken, and Mike Singleton. 

There was a lengthy discussion and dialog about the creation of a groundwater management plan for the Escalante Valley.  The State Engineer stated he would be supportive of an acceptable local voluntary arrangement to address the declining water table, but in the absence of any agreement the only tool he has is to manage by water right priority date. 

The concept of adaptive managment to periodically review the success of efforts made and reasses the impacts of actions taken was generally supported by all present.  There was a lot of discussion about a possible goal to cut depletion by 5% within 20 years and another 5% within 40 years.  Consideration is being given for the creation of a voluntary pooling agreement that would be managed by a water district.  As an entity the district may afford some tools and abilities to the water users that are not currently available.  The discussion also included consideration of the culinary users in the valley and how to assimilate them into any kind of management plan.

Recognition was given for the efforts of Senator Dennis Stowell who has worked diligently to help the farmers with this complex problem.

The meeting was productive, and in a spirit of partnership and cooperation.  There will be many subsequent meetings as progress is made in an attempt to help solve this problem. 

This web site and blog will post information, meeting notices, and  updates periodically to help keep everyone informed.

Information and notes from this meeting will be posted on this website.

Senator Stowell will be sponsoring some legislation at the upcoming session that is intended to amend and clarify both the groundwater management act and the local district statute.  The intended purpose is to better define the use of a special district as a tool that can be used by water right holders in a critical management area. 

It was also noted that a meeting will be held in Beryl on December 22 with representatives from the State Engineers office and the Escalante Valley Water Users.