Because of overdrafting, or taking out more each year than is being recharged, the water table has dropped in some areas of the valley by as much as 114 feet between 1939 and 2009, according to a Utah Geological Survey study. District Engineer Kelly Crane, of Ensign Engineering, said as the aquifer, or underground water source, is depleted, sediments compact and capacity is actually lost. The underground aquifer is the valley’s reservoir and needs to be recharged and then kept in balance.
In addition to the need to stop overdrafting the aquifer, the district is also responsible for providing water for Iron County’s growth, which the Utah Foundation projects at 129 percent over 40 years.
View Article