Water Banking as a Method to Improve Water Management in Utah's Sevier River Basin

The Sevier River Basin in central Utah is one of the state's most critically water-short areas. For nearly a century the users of the Sevier River have relied on multiple water-banking mechanisms to improve their water management practices. Three of the most important water banking mechanisms are carry-over storage credits, temporary storage of direct flow rights, and intra-basin exchanges. This paper demonstrates the impact these three mechanisms have had historically in the Sevier Basin. Carry-over storage accounts for about 30% of annual water deliveries. Direct flow right storage improves these small rights by about 20% in one case and 5% in another. The intra-basin exchanges account for about 17% for one right. Water banking is a viable option for further water management improvements in the Sevier River Basin but the legal and institutional constraints will be difficult to overcome.