Vision 2020 +

Physical Environment:
Water Resources Subcommittee

Effective water resources management and development is a critical component of the economic vitality and quality of life in Cache Valley, including areas of Idaho and Utah, through the Year 2020 and beyond. Effective management will only be accomplished through a thorough understanding of the quantity and quality of the water resource in Cache Valley, and the development of a coordinating management entity tasked with resource protection and comprehensive, planned resource management on a Valley-wide basis.

The mission of this subcommittee is to assist in creating an enabling organizational and institutional environment for the following overall objectives:

• Endeavor to conserve and protect water and water rights.
• Develop and stabilize water for municipal, industrial and agricultural use.
• Use these resources to best serve Cache Valley residents.
• Develop and preserve ownership of water by the Citizens of Cache Valley.

Five goals were established that will lead to this vision of comprehensive, Valley-wide Water Resource management: 1) Establish a Broad Based, Comprehensive Water Resources Planning and Management Entity in Cache Valley; 2) Adopt and implement a comprehensive plan to assure Cache Valley’s Water Supplies will provide for future water Demand for residential, commercial, agricultural and recreational uses; 3) Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for Groundwater Protection; 4) Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for Storm water and Wastewater Management; and 5) Develop and pursue a proactive plan for Bear River Development by Cache Valley interests.

Goal #1 – Establish a Broad-Based, Comprehensive Water Resources Planning and Management Entity in Cache Valley.

To design an effective Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Water Resource Development and Management in the Cache Valley, it is necessary to create a Valley-wide, broad-based, comprehensive Water Resources Planning and Management Entity in Cache Valley. Responsible Party – Cache and Franklin County Councils under direction of Cache Valley Regional Council.

Action 1.1. – Provided sufficient resources to fund a comprehensive study to evaluate the best option for the structure of a Cache Valley Water Resources Planning and Management Entity to ensure the protection of Cache Valley water rights and protection and management of water quality in the valley.

Action 1.2. – Establish a valley-wide water resources planning and management entity to facilitate water resource management and water quality protection and improvement in Cache Valley.

Action 1.3. – Convene Cache, Box Elder, and Franklin County Attorneys to develop a legal framework for the creation of a Water Resources Planning and Management entity in Cache Valley.

Goal #2 – Develop and Implement a Valley-Wide Approach to Balance the Use of Water Supplies with Future Water Demands.

To design an effective Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Water Resource Development and Management in the Cache Valley, it is necessary to understand the quantity and quality of water development needs and water supplies available now and in the future. Responsible Party – Cache Valley Water Management Entity established under Goal #1.

Objective 2.a. Establish a Water Resources Data Network for Water Resource Management and Development, taking advantage of Internet-Based Watershed Management and Data Analysis and Presentation tools and building on existing tools available at Utah State University and other sources for Monitoring/Tracking/Planning for Watershed Protection and Development within Cache Valley.

Action 2.a.1. – Compile existing water supply and water quality data, and coordinate the uniform storage and presentation of these data for use by water managers and land use planners throughout the region.

Action 2.a.2. – Design and implement sampling strategies for the collection of water resource and water quality data that are missing from current data sources.

Objective 2.b. – Develop and Implement Comprehensive Strategic Plans for Water Resource Development and Management in the Cache Valley for the following:

Action 2.b.1. – Watershed protection and Management.

Action 2.b.2. – Groundwater Protection and Aquifer Recharge.

Action 2.b.3. – Assuring the best use of water rights from agricultural lands targeted for urban developments.

Action 2.b.4. – Optimizing the aesthetic and recreational use of water in Cache Valley.

Action 2.b.5. – Optimizing habitat quality and wildlife resource value as related to Water Development in Cache Valley.

Action 2.b.6. – Encouraging water conservation and best water use practices.

Action 2.b.7. – Guaranteeing Cache Valley’s fair share of future water development in the Bear River.

Goal #3 – Develop and Implement a comprehensive strategy for Groundwater Protection in Cache Valley. An essential component of Water Resource planning should be directed toward the planning for long-term protection and development of the high quality groundwater resource that exists within Cache Valley.

Objective 3.a. – Place Top Priority on Protection of Groundwater Recharge areas.

Action 3.a.1. – Strictly regulate development on the deltas at the mouths of Cache Valley canyons. Responsible Party – Cache County and respective city Planning and Zoning Commissions with support of Cache Valley Water Management Entity and coordination by the Cache Valley Regional Council and Cache and Franklin County Health Departments.

Action 3.a.2. – Place Priority on Protection of Groundwater Recharge areas in the mountains of the Bear River Range that recharge the aquifer system. Responsible Party – Cache County Planning and Zoning Commission, U.S. Forest Service, with support of the Cache Valley Regional Council and Cache County Health Department.

Objective 3.b. – Refine the understanding of water and contaminant movement in Cache Valley aquifer systems. Responsible Party – Cache Valley Water Management Entity established under

Goal #1. Action 3.b.1. – Evaluate the connection between the shallow and deep aquifer systems, and identify areas or practices for potential contamination of the deep aquifer system by the shallow aquifer.

Action 3.b.2. – Evaluate shallow aquifer recharge from surface streams and springs, canal seepage, precipitation, and unconsumed irrigation water.

Action 3.b.3. – Complete the analysis of geologic factors controlling the potential for aquifer storage and recovery. Action 3.b.4. – Refine the understanding of the effectiveness of vegetation management for maximizing water yield and water quality in the recharge of the aquifer system.

Goal #4 – Develop and Implement a Comprehensive Strategy for Storm water and Wastewater Management in Cache Valley. To design an effective Comprehensive Strategic Plan for Water Resource Development and Management in the Cache Valley, it is necessary to consider both point and non-point pollution impacts, and storm water runoff on surface and groundwater resources in Cache Valley. Responsible Party – Cache Valley Water Management Entity, Cache and Franklin County Councils with coordination by Cache Valley Regional Council.

Objective 4.a. – Develop Valley-wide ordinances for land use controls to ensure surface water quality protection and improvement. Responsible Party – Cache and Franklin Counties and respective city Planning and Zoning Commissions with support of Cache Valley Water Management Entity and coordination by the Cache Valley Regional Council. Objective 4.b. – Develop and implement a Valley-wide program for the management of Storm water Conveyance and Treatment to ensure Long-Term Protection and Improvement of the Quality of our Surface Water. Responsible Party – Cache and Franklin County Departments and affected cities with coordination by the Cache Valley Water Management Entity.

Action 4.b.1. – Develop and implement a plan to fund maintenance of existing open channels that are used for surface water drainage during storm events.

Objective 4.c. – Develop and implement a Valley-wide Individual On-Site Waste Treatment System Management Plan to ensure their Long-Term Monitoring and Maintenance to prevent eventual surface and groundwater contamination. Responsible Party – Cache and Franklin County Health Departments with coordination by the Cache Valley Water Management Entity.

Objective 4.d. – Develop and implement a management plan for Agricultural non-point pollution sources and overloaded industrial waste treatment systems to minimize their impacts to surface water in rural areas of Cache Valley. Responsible Party – Utah and Idaho Departments of Environmental Quality with coordination by the Cache Valley Water Management Entity.

Objective 4.e. – Develop a focused effort on Education and Training to ensure the proper design, implementation, and maintenance of Storm water and Wastewater Best Management Practices (BMPs) Responsible Party – Cache Valley Water Management Entity.

Action 4.e.1. – Develop and implement a plan to provide workshops on the design, implementation, and maintenance of storm water and wastewater BMPs.

Action 4.e.2. – Hold public awareness workshops and conduct other public awareness activities.

Goal #5 – Develop a proactive plan for Bear River Development by Cache Valley interests To effectively manage the future Water Resources Development that will likely take place in Cache Valley due to the pressures mounting for water along the Wasatch Front and elsewhere throughout the West, and to protect ownership of Bear River water by the Citizens of Cache Valley, Cache Valley must be proactive in planning for Bear River Storage and Use. Responsible Party – Cache and Franklin County Councils under direction of Cache Valley Regional Council.

Objective 5.a. – Create institutional arrangements (Goal 1) among Cache Valley and both Box Elder County in Utah, and Franklin County in Idaho to facilitate coordinated Bear River water development to generate the Greatest Common Good for Cache Valley from the Development of the Bear River.

Action 5.a.1 – Involve State Representatives and Senators for a coordinated political effort.

Action 5.a.2. – Identify together existing Water Rights and future water use needs (Goal 2).

Action 5.a.3. – Identify points of agreement and disagreement among the Counties.

Action 5.a.4. – Establish joint agreements and joint “Mission Statements” for coordinated Bear River development efforts.

Action 5.a.5. – Inform and involve all groups of Stakeholders within all Counties to prevent derailment of development efforts.

Objective 5.b. – Form a Water Management Entity as the organizing body to spearhead Water Resource Management and Development in Cache Valley as suggested in

Goal 1. This might include special service districts, county departments, or Water Conservancy Districts. The entity would develop water under the ownership of the counties acting as trustees for ownership for the Citizens of Cache Valley.

Action 5.b.1. – Utilize this Management Entity to participate fully as an active partner in future Bear River planning and development to effectively utilize that portion of the undeveloped water in the Bear River (60,000 acre-feet per year) allocated to the Cache Valley under the Bear River Development Act.

Action 5.b.2. – Provide for coordinated development of the water resources of the Bear River among all potential users in Cache Box Elder and Franklin Counties.

Appendix 1. Documentation Regarding Recommendations for the Formation of a Water Management Entity in Cache Valley.

From: "Dennis Strong" , Director of the Utah Division of Water Resources

To: awperalta@comcast.net


Subject: info Date:
Fri, 28 Apr 2006 23:16:16 +0000

I believe it is important for Cache County to be represented in the discussions with the State on the development of the Bear River as authorized by the Bear River Development Act. It would be wise to have a water entity that could assess the water needs of the county and negotiate with the state and the other water agencies for the timely delivery of water from the Bear River project. The entity should have a funding source that would provide it the necessary funds to have a qualified staff.

Appendix 2. Comments on Water Resources Management in Cache Valley – J. P. Riley

In a general sense, the purpose of water resources management is to provide at a reasonable cost a supply of water, adequate in terms of both quantity and quality, to meet the present and future needs of society in both the time and spatial dimensions. Thus, water resources management involves both physical and social parameters. The supply side of the management structure requires identifying and developing water sources (diversions from streams, drilling wells, and so forth), linking various sources as needed (the distribution system), storing water to ensure that water delivery coincides closely with demand (storage can be man-made and/or natural, and surface and/or subsurface), and delivering water to points of use by society. The downstream or post-use side of the management system involves wastewater collection and treatment through either natural processes, such as sewage lagoons and/or septic systems, or mechanical treatment plants. In the case of irrigation supplies, water not used by the plants is either collected in drains or percolates through the soil to natural channels or to ground water aquifers. Other important components that need to be considered in water resources management are environmental consequences and needs, and water based recreation. It is essential that these components be addressed throughout the entire management system. To lessen the socially undesirable impacts of water resources management and to extend available supplies, use efficiency or conservation practices also are important components of the management function.

Cache Chamber of Commerce 2008

Home|| Business Directory|| Event Calendar|| About Us|| Member Information|| Economic Information|| Women in Business|| Ambassadors|| Business Resource Center|| Relocation Information|| Tourist Information|| Images of Cche Valley|| Clubs and Organizations||Other Valley Links

Cache Chamber of Commerce © 2008 Src:Banner Images Microsoft Office