Cedar City wants in on Lake Powell pipeline project

If the proposed Lake Powell pipeline gets an extension to Cedar City, water development costs there could be $5,000 an acre-foot — not counting pumping fees.

And that's just fine with the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District.

In a nearby parched section of southern Utah, an acre-foot of water rights could go for $20,000 to $30,000. Cedar Valley rights are $1,000 to $3,000 but are expected eventually to soar beyond $5,000 because of water scarcity and population growth, say backers.

Because of Cedar City's expected growth, the district is anxious to involve itself in the Lake Powell-St. George pipeline project, according to a presentation at a meeting of the state's Water Delivery Financing Task Force last week.

In terms of water put on the crops by farmers, the Cedar City pipeline extension would cost about $460 to $500 per acre-foot. Compared with other Utah farmers' costs in parts of the state with more abundant water, that is considered high.

But without the pipeline extension, water eventually could be in short supply in Cedar City, which is the country's 11th fastest-growing city, according to Scott Wilson of the Central Iron County Water Conservancy District. Wilson told the task force his district would like to be part of the proposed pipeline project.

St. George is the country's fastest-growing city, he said. But Cedar City's water sources are limited to Coal Creek, the underground aquifer and floods. They are inadequate to meet projected future needs, he said.

Then-Gov. Olene Walker appointed the task force last year, charging members with finding ways to finance the last two great water projects that are likely for the state — the pipeline and the Bear River Project. With their completion, Utah's share of water allocation under the Colorado River Compact would be largely used.

The cost of the Lake Powell-St. George project alone, without Cedar City's extension, would be more than $585 million, according to a report from a task force subcommittee.

That includes preliminary design, at $500,000, which could be started this month and finished in May 2006; core drilling, $150,000; selecting the pipeline alignment, $50,000; project description, $20,000; refining purpose and needs, $20,000; an electrical study, $200,000; acquiring easements, $5 million; final design, $12 million; and construction, nearly $562.4 million.

Construction was projected to begin around January 2015 and finish three years later.

A spur pipeline to deliver 20,000 acre-feet to Cedar City would cost in the neighborhood of $115 million. An additional cost is the expense of pumping the water uphill from St. George.