In accordance with Section 73-5-15 of Utah Code, the state engineer may regulate groundwater withdrawals inspecific groundwater basins by adopting a groundwater management plan. The primary objectives of such a planare to limit groundwater withdrawals to safe yields, to protect the physical integrity of aquifers, and to protect water
quality. Such a management plan was adopted for the groundwater basin of the Cedar City Valley in Iron County on January 11, 2021.

Prior to implementation, studies had determined that average annual groundwater withdrawals in the Cedar City Valley exceeded safe yield amounts, making the basin a critical management area as defined by state code. Safe yield of the basin was estimated at 21,000 acre-feet per year while average annual depletion was 28,000 acrefeet
per year. Therefore, a reduction of 7,000 acre-feet per year was required to balance the basin’s recharge and depletion amounts.

With the strong motivation of the state’s groundwater management plan and recognition of the fact that Cedar City Valley is a closed basin, Central Iron County Water Conservancy District set out to address safe yield concerns through aquifer recharge projects. Paul Monroe, General Manager of CICWD, emphasizes that collaboration and
partnerships on many levels have been critical to the success of recharge projects in the basin and everyone’s contributions and contributions were needed to meet the requirements of the Cedar City Valley Groundwater Management Plan.

When the District was first approached by the state engineer in 2016 about safe yield concerns, additional studies were recommended to determine a path forward. However, one District board member strongly urged the District to forego additional studies and instead use funds for actual projects to address the problem. Private, public, and state partnerships were formed, grants were solicited, and the effort began with a single aquifer recharge experiment.

Efforts started small. Flows of 5-10 cubic feet per second were taken from Coal Creek and transferred to the Western Rock gravel pit. There were challenges, but the learning process happened quickly. Over time, 6 additional recharge projects have been implemented across the District’s service area at the Schmidt Pit, the Airport, Horse Alley, Quichipa Lake, Enoch Graben, and Quichipa Creek.

Each of these recharge areas has evolved and grown over time to include improved diversions, automated valves, and flow sensors to quantify the amount of recharge water going in as well as the recharge rate. And, as of June 2023, 20,000-acre feet of water has been stored through these local recharge projects.