Rural Utah group to protest water plan

Monday, Aug. 1, 2005 | 9:07 a.m.

A group in rural Utah is planning a "Water Express Run" across 223 miles of desert to protest the Southern Nevada Water Authority's plans to export groundwater from their region to Las Vegas.

The Snake Valley Citizens Alliance, a citizens group opposing the Water Authority's plans, says its run will begin before dawn Aug. 8 in Garrison, Utah, and Baker, Nevada. Participants will run north through the Utah towns of Gandy, Partoun, Trout Creek and Callao, then follow the Pony Express Trail east to Fairfield before heading north to arrive at the Federal Building in Salt Lake City two days later.

The group leaders announced the run, saying the plan "to slake the thirst of the uncontrolled, rampant growth of the fastest growing city in America will devastate their remote West Desert ranching communities."

Runners will carry letters to county commissioners, state legislators, Utah's congressional delegation and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, seeking their support.

Ken Hill, a teacher's aide in Partoun and one of the leaders of the opposition to the Water Authority plans, said the goal is to raise awareness of the Water Authority's project and to spread a message that the project is a threat to water supplies in Utah's western desert.

"We're hoping to put this thing on the radar a little better in Utah, and we're hoping to express our thanks and need for more support from our elected officials," Hill said.

He said the opponents want the Utah officials to press federal and Nevada state officials to slow the project timeline down and do more scientific study before approving the project.

J.C. Davis, a Water Authority spokesman, said the citizens alliance has consistently misunderstood the Water Authority's intent.

"The premise that the Southern Nevada Water Authority project is going to come out there and remove water at their expense is inherently wrong," he said.

Davis said the Water Authority believes the Snake Valley can support wells taking 100,000 acre-feet annually. Farmers in the Snake Valley use about 20,000 acre-feet now. The Water Authority hopes to take another 25,000 acre-feet annually.

"There is enough water to maintain what they are doing and for Southern Nevada to build itself some drought protection and add to its water supply," Davis said.