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Agriculture to Municipal Change Applications

Understand the considerations and applications of water rights conversions from agricultural to municipal use. Learn about duties, diversions, depletions, and beneficial uses. Explore the process and limitations of change applications by the State Engineer's Office.

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Agriculture to Municipal Change Applications

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  1. Agriculture to Municipal Change Applications S. Ross Hansen P.E., L.S. Weber River/Western Regional Engineer

  2. Introduction • Development requires individuals and/or entities to move their water rights to cities. • Our office is fielding numerous phone calls concerning these conversions. • Purpose: • Help public understand the considerations given to these types of applications by the State Engineer’s Office.

  3. Commonly used Terms • Duty: quantity of water, determined by the state engineer, required to satisfy the irrigation water requirements in a given area; Based on the irrigation requirements of alfalfa. • Diversion: removal of water from its natural source. • Depletion: portion of water withdrawn from a surface or groundwater source that is consumed by particular use(s) and does not return to the local hydrologic system. Used synonymously with the term consumptive use. • Beneficial use: use of water for one or more statutorily recognized purposes; examples are: domestic, municipal, irrigation, and stockwatering; It is the basis, measure and limit of a water right. • Reuse: water that is discharged by one use and placed to another use before leaving the physical control of the water right holder.

  4. State Engineer Considerations • What are the heretofore and the hereafter beneficial uses? • Compare historic diversion of the right with proposed diversion. • Compare historic depletion of the right with proposed depletion. • Will the change enlarge the right? • Will the the change impair other vested rights?

  5. Change From Ag. To MunicipalDiversion • A duty of 4 acre-feet per acre has been assigned to the Tooele area for the purpose of evaluating historic diversion quantities. • Example: (10 acres of irrigation). • 10 acres x 4 acre-feet/acre = 40 acre-feet. • If change is approved the city would be limited to a diversion of 40 acre-feet.

  6. Change From Ag. To MunicipalDepletion • To evaluate historic depletion quantities the state engineer uses research report 145 (consumptive use of irrigated crops in utah). • Example: (using same 10 acres irrigation). • 10 acres x 2.20 acre-feet/acre = 22 acre-feet. • 2.20 acre-feet - Tooele station alfalfa. • If change is approved the city would be limited to a depletion of 22 acre-feet.

  7. Municipality Considerations • How will the water be used? • How much will be used for irrigation (outside)? • How much will be used for indoor use? • Does the city have a reuse plan for its water? • Water used indoors will be reused and could be fully depleted. • Water used for lawns (outdoor) will be depleted similar to the heretofore irrigation. (ie 2.20 ac.-ft/acre) • The city will not be allowed to exceed the historic DIVERSION or DEPLETION of the right.

  8. Example of a Municipal Change(city approved for reuse) • Historic use = same 10 acres • 40 acre-feet diversion/ 22 acre-feet depletion • Hereafter use - water needed for a subdivision with 20 lots • 20 houses x 0.45 acre-feet/house = 9 acre-feet – assumed 100% depleted. • Each lot will irrigate approx. 1/3 acre (actual 0.295) use 0.3 acre • 0.3 acre x 2.20 acre-feet/acre x 20 ≈ 13 acre-feet 9 acre-feet + 13 acre-feet =22 acre feet. Future depletion does not exceed historic depletion

  9. Example of a Municipal Change(city approved for reuse)(continued) • 20 lots x 0.3 acre/lot ≈ 5.9 acres irrigation. • 5.9 acres x 4 acre-feet/acre = 23.6 acre-feet. • 20 house @0.45 diversion = 9.0 acre-feet. • Total diversion = 32.6 acre –feet. • 32.6 ac.-ft. < 40 ac.-ft. Future diversion does not exceed historic diversion.

  10. Where to Get More Information • Division website www.waterrights.utah.gov/ • Past decisions or orders of the State Engineer • Research Report 145 • Robert W. Hill – USU

  11. Questions????? Thank you

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