The Great Salt Lake recedes from Anthelope Island on May 4, 2021, near Salt Lake City. The lake has been shrinking for years, and a drought gripping the American West could make this year the worst yet. The receding water is already affecting nesting pelicans that are among millions of birds dependent on the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
SALT LAKE CITY – Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson continue to bounce from place to place in the Salt Lake Valley to sign bills passed by the Legislature into law.
On Monday afternoon, the governor was at Lake View Center at Jordanelle Reservoir to sign 11 bills, mostly providing funds for water conservation projects.
With the half-filled reservoir as a backdrop, Cox hailed a generational effort with a price tag of nearly $450 million aimed at inducing Utahns to conserve water.
“Utah is experiencing one of the worst droughts in our state’s history,” said Sen. Chris Wilson (R-Dist. 25) “During this session, we allocated nearly $450 million to address the state’s water conservation efforts.”
At the Monday event, Cox put pen to paper to sign into law Senate Bill 110 (Water as Part of General Plan); and House Bills 33 (Instream Water Flow Amendments), 121 (Water Conservation Modifications), 157 (Sovereign Lands Revenue Amendments), 168 (Preferences of Water Rights Amendments), 232 (Utah Lake Authority), 242 (Secondary Water Metering Amendments), 282 (Water Wise Landscaping Amendments), 305 (Natural Resources Revisions), 410 (Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement) and 429 (Great Salt Lake Amendments).
Wilson said those bills will provide $250 million in one-time funds for secondary water metering; $50 million in one-time funds for agriculture water optimization; $40 million in one-time funds to create a trust for the Great Salt Lake; $38 million in ongoing and $1.7 million in one-time funds to create a restricted account for outdoor recreation; and, $30 million in one-time funding for Utah Lake preservation.
“Water metering helps users monitor and eventually reduce water consumption,” Wilson said. “H.B. 242 will encourage water conservation by monitoring metering requirements. In addition, the bill provides grants to fund metering and allows for water conservation grants.”
“Preserving the Great Salt Lake was a priority this session,” Wilson added.
H.B. 410 appropriates $40 million to create a trust that will responsible for sustaining the lake’s wetlands and increasing or keeping steady the water flow into the lake.
To encourage water conservation, H.B 121 directs state government to impose conservation requirements and create an optional incentive program to replace lawn with drought resistant landscaping.
Additionally, H.B. 282 will prohibit a municipality, county or home owner’s association from restricting a property owner from incorporating water-wise landscaping on their property.
State officials say that 99 percent of Utah is in severe drought conditions, with 28 of the state’s largest reservoirs are below 55 percent of capacity and eight rivers are flowing at record lows levels.
Invited to the ceremonial signing were Senators Mike McKell, Scott Sandall and Evan Vickers.
Also invited to the signing ceremony were Representatives Brad Wilson, Carl Albrecht, Ryan Wilcox, Joel Ferry, Robert Spendlove, Val Peterson, Kelly Miles and Brady Brammer.
Representing the state were Brian Steed, Utah Department of Natural Resources and Craig Buttars, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food.