In a gathering of water experts from around the state, Governor Gary R. Herbert outlined the State’s next steps in a visionary 50-year water strategy at today’s Water Summit, held at Utah Valley Convention Center. Part of that plan includes the creation of the State Water Strategy Advisory Team, an entity designated to develop and refine solutions for Utah’s water future. The team is comprised of elected officials, conservation leaders, water managers, recreational organizations, technical experts, attorneys, and business representatives.
“We face far-reaching challenges in Utah’s water future,” said Governor Herbert. “From a growing population to drought concerns and funding problems, many complicated and weighty considerations demand we plan and prepare now.”
The State Water Strategy Advisory Team will:
•Solicit and evaluate potential water management strategies;
•Frame for public feedback various water management options and the implications of those options; and
•Based on broad input, develop a set of strategies and ideas to be considered as part of the 50-year water strategy.
Members of the State Water Strategy Advisory Team include:
●Tage Flint, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District
●Warren Peterson, Farmland Reserve, Inc.
●Stephanie Duer, SLC Public Utilities Water Conservation Coordinator
●Timothy Hawkes, Trout Unlimited
●Eric Millis, Division of Water Resources
●Steve Clyde, attorney, Clyde Snow
●Kent Jones, State Engineer
●Jane Whalen, Citizens for Dixie’s Future
●Voneene Jorgensen, Bear River Water Conservancy District, Utah Water Users Assoc.
●Shane Pace, Sandy City Public Utilities
●Bob Fotheringham, Cache County Water Manager
●Sterling Brown, Utah Farm Bureau
●Steve Erickson, Great Basin Water Network
●Richard Bay, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
●Ralph Okerlund, State Senator
●Keith Grover, State Representative
●Scott Jenkins, State Senator
●Joel Briscoe, State Representative
●Ron Thompson, Washington County Water Conservancy District
●Walt Baker, Division of Water Quality
●Leland Myers, South Davis Sewer District
●Todd Brightwell, Economic Development Corporation of Utah
●Joan DiGiorgio, The Nature Conservancy
●Todd Bingham, Utah Manufacturers’ Association
●Jodi Williams, attorney, Holland & Hart, URMCC
●Charley Bulletts, Director, Paiute Consortium
●Joanna Endter-Wada, College of Natural Resources, USU, iUtah
●Jodi Hoffman, Utah League of Cities and Towns
●Dan McCool, Environmental and Sustainability Studies Program, U of U
●JT Martin, Integrated Water Management, Inc.
●Mark Sovine, Grand County Water & Sewer District
●Brad Peterson, Office of Outdoor Recreation
●Keith Denos, Provo River Water Users Association
●Robert Gillies, State Climatologist
●Gene Shawcroft, Central Utah Water Conservancy District
●Lynn de Freitas, Friends of Great Salt Lake
●Dale Pierson, Rural Water Association of Utah
●Curt Pledger, Bureau of Reclamation, Provo Office
In addition, the summit discussed the nearly 800 public comments about Utah’s water future received this summer at eight listening sessions and online. Water experts presented their findings and evaluations of the public response.
