Orrin Hatch: “in recent years, Utahns have suffered through a devastating drought. While it appears that we are beginning to return to…”

“in recent years, Utahns have suffered through a devastating drought. While it appears that we are beginning to return to normal precipitation levels, the drought has instilled in all Utahns the need to plan for the future and ensure sound management of our water resources. For that reason, I rise to introduce two important bills that will help make better use of Utah's scarce water supply. The first bill is the Arthur V. Watkins Dam Enlargement Act of 2005. The bill would authorize the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct a feasibility study on raising the height of the Arthur V. Watkins Dam in Weber County. The dam is roughly 14 miles long and encloses a reservoir containing more than 200,000 acre-feet of water. Thousands of Utahns currently rely on the water provided by the reservoir. And the Weber Basin is one of Utah's fastest growing areas, making the need to find additional water resources even more pressing. Enlarging the dam would help ensure that the area can meet its ever- increasing demand for water. In my view, expanding the dam is an easy way to increase water storage capacity in an area that desperately needs it. The next bill I am introducing today, is the Juab County Ground Water Study and Development Act of 2005. This legislation would amend the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 2005 to include Juab County.…”