Jordan River watershed plan sought

Given the importance of watershed in thirsty, desert Utah, it's perhaps hard to believe there is currently no watershed council nor watershed coordinator for the Jordan River.

"The county is weak right now as to knowledge and ability to make the decision" on proposed development around the Jordan, said Utah Watershed Coordinators Council chairman Jeff Salt, a longtime advocate for Jordan River corridor preservation.

A proposed sewage treatment plant in Riverton has spurred discussions regarding resurrection of a watershed council, from which developers would have to seek approval before going forward.

The state watershed council has received federal funding to help establish paid watershed coordinator positions in needed areas. The Utah Division of Water Quality has identified two priority watersheds for the positions: the Jordan River/Utah Lake area and the western Colorado River area.

There once was a watershed council for the Jordan River area, but it never really got organized and finally dissolved about four years ago. Various governmental areas deal tangentially with watershed issues in the area, but there is currently no entity charged specifically with that duty.

Salt Lake County Councilman Cortlund Ashton has led the charge — at least at the county end — against the sewage treatment plant, proposed for a site between 13100 South and 13500 South on the west banks of the Jordan. He says a watershed council could bring balance to the approval process.

"(The state Division of) Water Quality anticipated these types of parochial decisions, and that's why they came up with this," he said.

Neil Stack, of the county's planning and development services division, said the sewage treatment plant approval is a "cart-before-the-horse" process, with Riverton officials being asked to vote thumbs up or down on a situation that is not entirely understood.

Whether or not the watershed council/coordinator would deal with Utah Lake and the Jordan River together remains up in the air. Salt said he would rather bifurcate the two, since Utah County vs. Salt Lake County political considerations would make a combined district problematic.

The state watershed council has $55,000 available over two years for a paid coordinator. Salt said the best scenario over time would be that the council be self-sustaining through applying for grants and other funding sources.

The County Council voted Tuesday to study the issue further and consider possible action in two weeks.

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