I.      The LaVerkin City Council will meet with Washington County Water Conservancy District to receive updates and ask questions concerning water development

In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act, individuals needing special accommodations (including auxiliary communicative aids and services) during this meeting should notify June Jeffery, City Recorder, (435) 635-2581, at least 48 hours in advance.

The undersigned City Recorder does hereby certify that the agenda was sent to each member of the governing body, sent to the Spectrum newspaper, posted on the State website at http://pmn.utah.gov, posted on the LaVerkin City website at www.laverkin.org

and in the following public places within LaVerkin City limits on this July 16, 2010

These public places being: 1) LaVerkin City office building 111 S. Main; 2) LaVerkin City office building 435 N. Main;

June Jeffery, CMC

City Recorder

Present: Mayor Karl Wilson; Councilmember Ray Justice; Washington County Water Conservancy  District: Ron Thompson, Corey Cram, Barbary Hjelle, Ed Bowler; City Staff: Kyle Gubler, June Jeffery, Derek Imlay; Public: None

Councilmembers Phil Jensen, Scott Stratton, Doug Beecher, Hugh Howard were excused.

The LaVerkin City Council were invited to meet with Washington County Water Conservancy District to receive updates and ask questions concerning water development. Lunch was held at noon, meeting began at 12:25 p.m.

Ron Thompson showed a power point presentation, giving an overview of the district and projects. The body is governed by a Board of Trustees. The members are not politically appointed.

Kolob Reservoir is now completely owned by the District. With the Crystal Creek project completed, the reservoir is expected to fill every year.

The treatment plant has been expanded from 40 mgd to 48 mgd and plans are underway to expand the facility to 80 mgd in the future. Future secondary water system will come from Gunlock Reservoir and the Warner Valley Reservoir. Reservoir projects include aquifer for water storage.

The Southern Corridor project should be completed in 2011 to connect Hurricane, LaVerkin, and Washington. The Warner Valley Project will be used to dilute Pah Tempe water and make it more potable. The Ash Creek Project will tie into Toquerville to free up Toquerville Springs for culinary water.

Thompson discussed several topics including: The District is putting together a garden at their office to show local plants. They have installed SCADA systems for efficiency and working with the cities. There are two endangered species in the river systems - the woundfin minnow, and the Virgin River chub.

The Regional Water Organization includes every city in the county except Santa Clara and Apple Valley. Conservation will be better under this organization.

In discussing water use and the availability of water in the future, Thompson pointed out that 23% of LaVerkin homes are second homes. 40% of the water in the county goes to commercial and institutional use. Projections show that in 2040, the District will be out of water even with Lake Powell. Growth in Washington County has always been above the projections by the state model. Models don't show in-migration very well. Most of the water comes from the Virgin River. Models showing the average of water in the river are generally high because they don't consider the number of low years...only the average between high and low. Reservoir projects support the availability of water.

The Virgin River depends on the Colorado River for flow. The District has worked to diversify the sources of water, making less dependence on one source.

The Lake Powell Pipeline allows water to come from the Glen Canyon Dam site and drop to Sand Hollow Reservoir. There will be power generation on this line. Will finance this project with the generation of power. "Green power" is a desired outcome of power projects. Wind power projects are required to have a back up on days when the wind doesn't blow. Iron County will pay for the pump but will receive little benefit. Discussion about cost of pipeline, Engineer's estimated costs, actual costs, would like to pay as go, pay for water as used.

With population projections the county needs the water. There is some interest in cleaning the brackish water at Pah Tempe Springs. Process to do that right now would be too expensive, but there is hope that technology will come to make that available.

Utah has a lot of water that will never be used without coming right out of the river. Without Lake Powell, growth would have to cap in 2020.

LaVerkin City has interest in the Ash Creek Project. The Black Ridge reservoir doesn't maintain level. In the future a 36" line will bring this water with its winter flows, Leap Creek, Lower Ash Creek, and Wet Sandy to Anderson Junction with an expectation of 6500 acre water ft. of reliable water supply.

Anderson Junction is a small site. Hope to move excess water to Sand Hollow and Quail Lake. Now piped from Toquerville and LaVerkin Creek to Quail pipelines. Thompson stated that once the water is regionalized the cities should be able to take the water they need. On the regional pipeline, the impact fee paid for development of the water source, the surcharge being charged is going into a rate stabilization fund to pay for debt service and similar costs. The District is selling water to the cities to break even - today is $.84. Some cities turn off their other sources and once they go over a certain target - the District sells the "back-end water" for $.23. Once the District expenses are covered the charge is the same as the cost for treatment. The District is still figuring how to handle the Toquerville Springs. There are usage questions between the District and Hurricane City. Hurricane has 2/3 cf from the upper Toquerville Springs with 300 gpm. LaVerkin has 1/3 sf with 150 gpm. The two cities have several feet in the Lower Ash Creek Springs. Currently there is about 2,000 gpm from the upper springs being taken between Hurricane and LaVerkin, mostly used by Hurricane. That is way beyond the water right. Thompson believes that cities should pay for the water they use.  That eventually will happen.

Wilson updated information about LaVerkin water management. The City discovered that they had a 4" bypass on the LaVerkin 12" system. They have turned off the 12" line and are running water from Toquerville Springs only through the 4" line. That restricts the flow rate to under 700 gpm. The city has rights to 953 gpm. The upper tank was put on the Cottam Well. The system is staying below the amount they were buying from the District. Wilson meet with Chuck to make sure work out operationally. Want to stay as close to that flow rate as possible. Expect population to grow another 10% before the city has to buy water. Wilson is doing a cost analysis, still pulling paperwork together.

Karl Wilson would like to use the city's shares in the Cottam Well water. Thompson mentioned exploratory wells in the area including Diamond Valley. He believes there is water in Hurricane fault that is not tapped. His intention is to pass on a low cost benefit to all cities, rather than one city doing all the work for themselves.

Thompson discussed the settlement with Ken Anderson and interest/shares that came out of that. Ken is obligated to collect the spring to the bridge. With the bankruptcy filing, the WCWCD may take this over, making another resource available to the community.

Kyle Gubler asked about completion of the Anderson Junction Project. Work for the permits has been going for a couple of years. Want to pay as go. If there was a current water deficit, the District would fund it. The reservoir will not be cheap to build.

Discussion that the Cottam Well stores 420,000 gallons in 2 wells. Runs about 4 hours a day, unless demand runs it all day. Was designed so that first water flows to LaVerkin. Want to keep both tanks full at all times. Constant flow is easier to monitor. Wilson said that the LaVerkin SCADA system is showing things about the water that was not known before; allowing a look at demand and use of the water. The city wasn't using all the water they were paying for. Can get the same amount, but spread out the use.

Adjourn at 1:30 p.m.

Minutes taken by June Jeffery

Date Approved, August 4, 2010

Mayor, Karl Wilson

ATTEST:

June Jeffery, CMC

City Recorder