Western Water ConferenceWater Education Month
AwardsAdvisory Council ChangesGroundwater Research Group FormedUtah Groundwater InitiativeExpanding Water Research beyond the Tecnical AspectsA conference entitled "The Future of Western Water: Defining the Public Interest" was held September 19-21 at Utah State University. It addressed the issue of individual vs. public choices relating to water concerns and focused specifically on the American West.
The topically arranged sessions explored issues such as the role of technology in balancing the forces of supply and demand, and the history of American water management institutions and water rights as they affect public uses.
This conference brought together more than 50 environmentalists, economists, engineers, and other panelists and lecturers.
Topics included: "Individual vs. Public Choices in the History of Our Water Management Institutions: The Role of Government Policies," Richard W. Wahl, Department of the Interior; "Conflict of Basic Values", Rick Gold, Upper Colorado Region, Bureau of Reclamation; "The Reopened Western Frontier," Edward Marston, High Country News; "Meeting the Needs of Irrigated Agriculture and the Environment in California," Michelle Schwartz, Attorney, Natural Heritage Institute; "Water Buffaloes in the New West: Is This Endangered Species Worth Preserving?" Bruce Babbitt, Former Governor of Arizona.
In his summary remarks, Professor J. Paul Riley, USU Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, stated that there are no simple answers to our western water problem. "There is an increasing awareness of the need for a broad approach to the problem of defining public interest in further development and continuing management of our water resources." We need to pursue important water-related issues facing the West today through "a cooperative, multi-disciplinary, and non-confrontational approach."
The conference honored the late A. Alvin Bishop and Dean F. Peterson for their outstanding contributions in the College of Engineering's academic and research programs.
Dr. Bishop was the founder of USU's Department of Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering and a former department head. Dr. Peterson served as Vice President for Research, Dean of Engineering, and Professor of Civil Engineering at Utah State University. Both men advocated a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to water resources planning and management.
The Western Water Conference was presented by USU's Mountain West Center for Regional Studies.
Governor Bangerter has proclaimed October "Water Education Month." He has challenged all K-6 students to enter the annual statewide Young Artists' Water Education Poster Contest. This year's poster theme "Water: Essential to Life" is intended to stimulate students to learn more about Utah's precious water resources.
Teachers will present prizes to all classroom and school winners. Twelve state winners will be honored at the Governor's Banquet on November 16. In addition, the grand prize winner will receive a VIP tour of Glen Canyon Dam and use of a large van, 50-foot house boat, and 18-foot power boat for a week at Lake Powell.
The annual contest encourages elementary teachers to use the IOWE's water education curriculum to meet the water science education objectives specified in Utah's core curriculum. Copies of the "Water Education Grades K-6" book, the water/science education equipment kit, and other material may be obtained by writing to:
International Office for Water Education
Utah Water Research Laboratory
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322-8200
Scott F. Korom received the outstanding Practice and Education Paper Award during the National Conference on Irrigation and Drainage held in Honolulu, HI. His paper titled "Design of Hydraulic Jump Chambers" was based on his master's research at the University of Akron and written at Utah State University.
Akintunde O. Owosina received an award for the top student paper at the 27th annual conference of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA) which was held September 8-13, at New Orleans, LA. Owosina, a graduate student in Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the award for a paper titled "Knowledge Acquisition for a Rule-Based Decision Support Model for Water Systems Management." Drs. W.J. Grenney and J. Paul Riley are co-authors of the paper.
The Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) has undergone some changes this year. Clifford Forsgren replaces Joe Melling as CAC chairman, and Ray Davis replaces Genevieve Atwood as vice chairman. Wayne D. Criddle, a 20-year veteran councilman, is retiring from the council.
During their terms of service, Mr. Melling, Ms. Atwood, and Mr. Criddle contributed new directions for water resource research that benefited the interests of Utah citizens. Joe Melling, city manager for Cedar City, will continue as a CAC council member. Genevieve Atwood, former head of Utah Geologic and Mineral Survey and representative in the Utah State Legislature, resigned from CAC and is working for a private consulting firm. Wayne D. Criddle, former State Engineer, is president of the engineering firm of Clyde-Criddle-Woodward. He was also a co-author of the Blaney-Criddle method for computing water requirements of crops and other vegetation.
The council meets annually to review progress and to discuss directions for research that will best serve the interests of Utah citizens.
Other members of the Citizen Advisory Council are: Kenneth L. Alkema, Director, Environmental Health Services Branch; D. Larry Anderson, Director, Division of Water Resources; Grace G. Brandt, League of Women Voters; Lee Case, Water Resources Division, USGS; Ray Davis, J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University; Cliffton Forsgren, CH2M Hill; Dee Hansen, Executive Director, Department of Natural Resources; Gayle F. McKeachnie, Attorney, Vernal; Bob Morgan, State Engineer, Division of Water Rights; Ray Nielsen, Representative, Utah State Legislature; Darrell Nish, Division of Wildlife Resources; Sheldon Talbot, Central Utah Water Conservancy District; William P. Levere, U.S. Forest Service; C. Booth Wallentine, Utah Farm Bureau Federation.
On the same day as the big 1991 solar eclipse (July 11), a groundwater research group was formed at USU. Marian Kemblowski was elected chairman and Gilberto Urroz, secretary. The group will meet monthly to coordinate research and academic activities related to groundwater across the USU campus.
A summary of the members' current projects, research, and classes will soon be available to all interested persons.
On October 1, Utah Groundwater Council (temporary name) was created to coordinate information on research needs between state agencies and research institutions in Utah.
Members discussed possible directions including state-level conferences, a groundwater research expertise brochure, and training of state and federal personnel. The group will seek guidance from the Utah Groundwater Coordinating Committee (UGCC), a group that coordinates groundwater policy among several state agencies.
State and federal agencies attending were the Soil Conservation Service, Utah Water Resources Division, Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Utah Division of Water Rights, Utah Department of Agriculture, and US Geological Survey. L. Douglas James, David Bowles, Marian Kemblowski, Jagath Kaluarachchi, Gilberto Urroz, all from UWRL, and Tom Lachmar from the Department of Geology were also present.
The next meeting will be on December 18, at the Utah Water Research Lab. All participants in the USU Groundwater Research group are invited to attend.
As UWRL director from 1966 through 1976 and as head of the Center for Water Resources Research from 1973 through 1976, Jay M. Bagley was an early advocate of building interdisciplinary research teams to study and analyze the many and varied water problems that were springing up.
"Although the UWRL was largely the brainchild and product of engineers, it was always recognized that engineering considerations had to blend a substantial body of science together with the socioeconomic, legal, political, and institutional elements, if we were to be effective in finding sound solutions to complex, real-world problems," Dr. Bagley says. "My philosophy was that we ought to have a research capability that could deal with water problems ranging from the cloud seeder to the sewer."
Under his leadership, UWRL established a reputation for coalescing appropriate interdisciplinary teams that could assess problems in the proper perspective and thus deal with them more effectively.
Returning to research, Dr. Bagley observed that the greatest hindrance to cost-effective water management was in the questionable development policies and institutional frameworks being utilized. Drawing on past experience in state, national, and international water programs and policies, Bagley continued to focus on research in those general subject areas.
Now retired from the UWRL, Bagley remains active by selective consulting and by participating in professional society activities. He is currently involved on a national committee of the American Society of Civil Engineers that is developing model water codes for states. He also serves on the 23-member Utah Bear River Task Force, a panel of state lawmakers and water officials who are investigating the development of the Bear River.