SALT LAKE CITY — There is extra water that can be found in the Salt Lake Valley, according to the Utah Rivers Council, although state officials dispute their claims.
Canals in the Salt Lake Valley are flowing with extra water because of water that used to go to farmland, officials from the Utah Rivers Council said.
“The Division of Water Resources is ignoring this water source because a surplus contradicts their claim Utah is running out of water and needs expensive water development like the proposed $2 billion Bear River development and $1.5 billion Lake Powell Pipeline,” a representative for the Utah Rivers Council wrote in a statement sent to FOX 13 News.
But state officials say that water is spoken for by residents who own the water rights.
“It may not all be used for agriculture anymore, some of the water in those canals it is used for other things,” said Boyd Clayton, deputy state engineer.
Clayton said water from the canals is often used to water city parks and homes.
Water rights change, Clayton said. When someone uses less water than they need it gets re-allocated someplace else.
