A one-time, 9,599-acre-foot water purchase should soon be complete that will meet a compromise flow on the Provo River and ease concerns about the culinary supply next summer in Salt Lake County.
Don A. Christiansen, general manager of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, said his staff has arranged the lease of enough water to meet commitments for water through mid-February. "In another week or so we'll have the whole 9,500-acre-foot pool" that will satisfy the components of a one-time compromise in effect through next year's irrigation system, he said.Federal Section 8 wildlife mitigation funds from the Bureau of Reclamation will be used to buy the water for $50 an acre-foot from owners of rights on the Provo River and in Deer Creek Reservoir.
Winter flows on the river are set at 100 cubic feet per second, according to a provision of the National Environmental Policy Act imposed on the Central Utah Project. A compromise flow of 85 cfs was agreed to Nov. 14 because of low storage in Deer Creek and the possibility the reservoir will not fill next spring.
The compromise was agreed to by sportsmen's groups and federal, state and local water officials.