The Utah Division of Water Rights has set a public meeting to discuss the general adjudication of water rights in the Lake Creek area in the Provo River Division of the Utah Lake/Jordan River Drainage (Area 55, Book 12). The boundaries of the Lake Creek area are shown in the map below. The following information is from the public meeting notice:

What: Public Meeting

Who: Water Users within the Lake Creek area

When: July 29, 2021, 6:00 to 7:00 pm

Where: Wasatch County Senior Center, 465 East 1200 South, Heber City

Purpose: In accordance with Chapter 73-4, Utah Code Annotated, and the Third Judicial District Court (Civil No. 365729851), the State Engineer is authorized and ordered to conduct a general determination of the rights to the use of all water, both surface and underground, within the drainage area of the Lake Creek Subdivision, Provo River Division, of the Utah Lake and Jordan River drainage in Wasatch County. Efforts are currently underway and over the next few months, representatives of the Division of Water Rights will be working in the Lake Creek area to survey existing water rights and investigate water user's claims. In light of this work, the public is invited to a public meeting. Representatives from the Division of Water Rights will be available during this time to discuss the adjudication process, review water rights within the area, and answer questions. If individuals cannot attend, but have questions regarding the adjudication process or water rights within the Lake Creek area, please contact the Division of Water Rights at 801-538-5282.
Agenda:
1.  Introduction (Michael Drake, P.E. - Assistant State Engineer)
2.  Adjudication Process Presentation

3.  Public Comments and Questions

A live stream broadcast of the public meeting will also be available online at this link.

Update on Water Right Adjudications

Across the state, water right adjudications continue to move forward. As noted by the Utah Division of Water Rights, “[t]he water rights adjudication process helps to bring order and certainty to the water rights record throughout the state by defining existing rights, quantifying unknown rights, and removing unused and abandoned rights from the record through judicial decree.” This article provides updates on some of these water right adjudication proceedings.

In February 2021, the Division initiated a new adjudication in Daniels Creek, Area 55-11. The next areas to be adjudicated are:

·       Lake Creek, Area 55-12 (anticipated to begin in 2021)

·       Jordanelle, Area 55-13 (anticipated to begin in 2022)

·       Francis-Woodland, Area 55-14 (anticipated to begin in 2022)

·       Upper Provo, Area 55-15 (anticipated to begin in 2023)

 

In March 2021, the Division has issued the List of Unclaimed Rights for Midway, Area 55-10.

 

The Division has published Proposed Determinations in several areas:

·       Red Butte Creek, Area 57-3 (November 2020)

·       West Murray, Area 57-19 (December 2020)

·       Mill Creek, Area 57-15 (May 2021).

 

The Division anticipates publishing more Proposed Determinations in 2021. The next Proposed Determinations to be published are:

·       Liberty Park, Area 57-11

·       Parleys Creek, Area 57-14

·       Holladay, Area 57-16

·       West Big Cottonwood Creek, Area 57-17

·       Moab North, Area 05-02

·       Moab South, Area 05-05.

 

The Special Master and Third District Court continue to hear objections to Proposed Determinations in numerous adjudication areas, including three areas that pre-date the Special Master’s appointment:

·       Hobble Creek, Area 51-4

·       Goshen Valley, Area 53-1

·       Emigration Creek, Area 57-1.

It is critical that water right owners understand and participate in the adjudication process in their respective areas. Failure to do so could result in water rights being reduced or even disallowed in the adjudication proceedings.

Utah Dam Safety Inspections Using Drones

The Utah Division of Water Rights has recently announced that its dam safety section has acquired a drone and licensed two Division employees as drone pilots so that the Division can integrate drone technology into their program to inspect, evaluate, and monitor dams in the state. The implementation of drone technology will improve dam oversight and also increase staff efficiency while onsite at dam inspections.

For more information regarding the dam safety section's implementation of drone technology, click here.