The public has asked numerous questions regarding the use of Lake Powell
water for culinary and irrigation purposes in Washington County and who
will provide the funding for the project(s). We have provided excerts from
various goverment publications that may answer some of the questions and
concerns.
The Lake Powell Pipeline project was originally proposed by the Washington
County Water Conservancy District and the district has paid for the preparation
of an engineering feasibility report. Since the report has been available,
several other entities have expressed some interest in participating in
the project, including St. George City, the Hildale & Colorado City communities,
the Kaibab Band of Paiutes (at Moccasin), the Kane County Water Conservancy
District, Kanab City, and the State & Institutional Trust Lands Administration
(owns several blocks of potential development land along Hwy. 89 between
Lake Powell and Kanab). There have been no firm decisions made regarding
financing of the project, but it would be expected that all participants
would bear a share of the costs based on their share of use. The two conservancy
districts have made application to the State Board of Water Resources for
a total of 75,000 acre-feet of water rights (rights originally approved
for use at Flaming Gorge Reservoir but never developed) to provide water
for the Lake Powell project. The Board has set aside 73,000 acre-feet with
a comment that, ". . .the Lake Powell Pipeline will probably be a state
project," thus implying that the Division of Water Resources will provide
some funding (low interest loans and/or grants) for the project.
The feasibility report indicated that the water would require pumping from
Lake Powell but, after reaching a certain point, would gravity flow to the
proposed Sand Hollow Reservoir site south of Quail Lake. The pipeline would
develop enough pressure to operate a hydropower turbine generator at the
Sand Hollow site and much of the pumping cost recovered thru the sale of
electricity.
If you have further questions regarding this project, contact the WCWCD
(Washington County Water Conservancy District) at 673-3617. The feasibility
report is also available for public review and it contains the answers to
most questions regarding the technical aspects of the project. |
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