A Vision for the Virgin: Conservationist Approaches to River Management Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance 1471 South 1100 East Salt Lake City, Utah 84105 801/486-3161 September 1993 SUWA gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Outdoor Industries Conservation Alliance, and of the Tides Foundation's 777/Environmental Fund, in preparing this report. ...even the weariest river Winds somewhere safe to sea. --Algernon Charles Swinburne The Garden of Prosperine A Vision for the Virgin: Conservationist Approaches to River Management Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview of this Report .............................................................................................................. 2 Chapter I. The Virgin River Basin ........................................................................................ 5 A River in the Desert ................................................................................................................... 5 Utah Segment ................................................................................................................... 5 Arizona and Nevada Segments ........................................................................................ 7 A River of Opportunity ................................................................................................... 7 Virgin River Geology ................................................................................................................... 9 A Basin of Transitions .............................................................................................................. 11 Surface Water Quantity and Quality ........................................................................................ 13 Groundwater Quantity and Quality ........................................................................................... 15 Basin Prehistory ......................................................................................................................... 18 Colonial History ......................................................................................................................... 20 Early Water Development: The Dixie Project ........................................................................ 22 Warner Valley ............................................................................................................................ 23 Watershed: The Quail Creek Reservoir ................................................................................... 23 Chapter H. Demands on the Virgin River ........................................................................ 31 In stream Resources .................................................................................................................... 31 Riparian Areas and Wetlands ........................................................................................ 32 Sensitive Fish Species ................................................................................................... 35 Other Sensitive Species ................................................................................................ 42 Recreation and Aesthetics .............................................................................................. 42 Municipal and Industrial Sector ................................................................................................ 43 Washington County, Utah .............................................................................................. 44 The Arizona Strip ......................................................................................................... 48 Clark County, Nevada ................................................................................................... 49 Meeting M&I Demand ................................................................................................ 51 Agricultural Sector .................................................................................................................... 52 Meeting Agricultural Demand ..................................................................................... 55 Chapter III. The Virgin River Traditions .......................................................................... 59 It's All Ours ............................................................................................................................... 59 Bigger Is Better ......................................................................................................................... 62 Have Cake, Will Eat ................................................................................................................. 63 The Insatiable Thirst ................................................................................................................. 64 It's Cheap, So Use It ................................................................................................................ 66 Effects Have No Cause ............................................................................................................. 68 Chapter IV. Threats To The Virgin River ....................................................................... 73 The Impacts of Dams Generally ............................................................................................. 74 North Creek .............................................................................................................................. 77 Ash Creek Reservoir/Sand Hollow Reservoir/Pah Tempe .................................................... 77 Cedar City Transbasin Diversion ............................................................................................. 81 Virgin River Headwaters ........................................................................................................... 82 North Fork of the Virgin River .................................................................................. 84 East Fork of the Virgin River ..................................................................................... 85 Beaver Dam Wash ................................................................................................................... 86 Fort Pearce Wash ...................................................................................................................... 88 Cooperative Water Project ........................................................................................................ 89 Quail Creek Management Practices ........................................................................................ 96 Groundwater Threats ................................................................................................................ 98 Chapter V. Legal Approaches to Protecting the Virgin River .................................... 101 Section 404: Wetlands and Riparian Area Protection .......................................................... 101 Federal Reserved Water Rights ............................................................................................. 103 The Resource Management Planning Process .................................................................... 105 Wild and Scenic River Designation .......................................................................... 106 Areas of Critical Environmental Concern ............................................................... 111 Endangered Species Protection ............................................................................................. 112 Putting the Approaches to Work .......................................................................................... 116 State Instream Flow Laws ..................................................................................................... 117 Local Ordinances ................................................................................................................... 122 Chapter VI. Non-Structural Approaches to Water Management .............................. 125 Supply Management Approaches .......................................................................................... 126 Water Planning ........................................................................................................... 126 Conjunctive Use ........................................................................................................ 127 Water Reclamation ..................................................................................................... 129 Demand Management Approaches ........................................................................................ 131 Water Conservation ................................................................................................... 132 Conservation in the Agricultural Sector .................................................................. 134 Water Pricing Reform ................................................................................................ 138 Supply/Demand Coordination ................................................................................................ 140 Water Market Types ................................................................................................... 141 The Promise and Problems of Water Markets .......................................................... 142 Chapter VII. A Conservationist Blueprint for