AREA 68 - SEVIER DESERT

Updated: April 13, 2011

  MANAGEMENT

The Sevier River Decree of 1937 (issued after compilation of a proposed determination of water rights by the State Engineer in the 1920s) apportioned the river and it's tributaries. Some diligence claims have been filed on isolated springs that have not been included by the decree. The State Engineer administers a distribution system to oversee allocations of many of the awards. Click here to see statistics for this area.

  SOURCES

Surface and Ground Water - Under a Governor's Proclamation dated December 19, 1946, the surface waters of the Sevier River Basin were closed to all new appropriations. Since that time, all new development of surface water for consumptive purposes has been based on the acquisition and changing of existing valid surface water rights. As of March 19, 1997, the Sevier River Basin was closed to all new appropriations of ground water except as set forth in the Sevier River Basin Ground-water Management plan. The plan allows for domestic filings not to exceed 1.0 acre-foot in R8W and R9W and for filings reviewed on an individual basis in R10W to R13W. Proposed diversions above the valley alluvium and/or where they may intercept sources tributary to the Sevier River will not be granted. Change applications in the Lynndyl, Leamington, Oak City, Oasis and Delta vicinity are limited to amending rights already in the area. No acquired rights outside of the area can be moved into it (see map).

Hydropower appropriations that are non-consumptive in nature can be considered on an individual basis. Fixed-period or transient projects must be handled by temporary change applications--even for non-consumptive activities such as pressure testing on pipelines if they occur during the irrigation season. The period of time for developing the project and submitting proof under change applications will generally be five years. Extensions will be critically reviewed for evidence of diligence in using the water.

  GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN

  GENERAL

Applications in this area are advertised in the Millard County Progress newspaper. The general figure for irrigation diversion duty in this area is 4 acre-feet per acre. The consumptive use requirement is determined from the publication Consumptive Use of Irrigated Crops in Utah, Research Report 145, Utah State University, 1994, unless the applicant submits other data for consideration. This area is administered by the Sevier River/Southern Regional Office in Richfield.

Other Requirements

The Water Right applicant is strongly cautioned that other permits may be required before any physical development of a project can begin and it is the responsibility of the applicant to determine the applicability of and acquisition of such permits. In order to avoid delays and ensure that Water Right approvals conform to applicable local ordinances, applicants should contact local governmental entities in advance to determine what ordinances are in place that affect the proposed project and to make sure that Water Right filings conform to those ordinances. The approval of a Water Right application does not imply any approval of a project by any other governmental entity. Approval of the project proposed in the Water Right application should be obtained from local governmental entities as necessary to implement a project.

  REFERENCES

Water-Resources Investigative Report 95-4173, Simulated Effects of Proposed Ground-Water Pumping in 17 Basins in East-Central and Southern Nevada; U.S. Geological Survey; 1995 (viewing this document requires the DjVu browser plugin available from LizardTech)

USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2014-5213, Steady-State Numerical Groundwater Flow Model of the Great Basin Carbonate and Alluvial Aquifer System; 2014.

USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2017-5072, Groundwater Model of the Great Basin Carbonate and Alluvial Aquifer System Version 3.0: Incorporating Revisions in Southwestern Utah and East Central Nevada; 2017.

  MODELING

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