EVANSTON — Every 20 years, the Bear River Commission is required to hold public meetings to review and potentially amend the Bear River Compact. On Tuesday, Oct. 3, the commission met in Evanston. Last week’s meeting was the first of a series that will take place over the coming weeks.

The compact outlines how water from the Bear River is to be used on its 500-mile journey through Wyoming, Idaho and Utah. The three states originally agreed to the compact in 1955. 

Since then, a few changes have been made to the agreement. In the 1970s, in-depth research and distribution studies were conducted. The findings led to an amendment that was adopted and signed into law by Pres. Jimmy Carter in 1980, creating the Amended Bear River Compact. 

In 1996, the commission again commenced to review the compact. Public meetings were held and an adaptation to the bylaws was made that added new committees to the organization. The Water Quality Committee was one committee added at that time. It works to shine a light on not only the quantity of water flowing through the Bear River Basin but also the quality. 

It is now 20 years later and the commission kicked off their public input tour in Evanston. In the following weeks, they will hold meetings in other cities along the Bear River including Logan, Utah; Grace, Idaho; Montpelier, Idaho; and Salt Lake City. Residents from all areas are invited to attend any of the meetings. Detailed information about the meetings can be found at bearrivercommission.org.

When it comes to water rights, emotions have been known to run high; that was not the case at the Evanston meeting. Following a thorough presentation by Bear River Engineer-Manager Don Barnett concerning the history and use of the compact, the forum was opened up for public comment, expressions of concern or questioning. 

There were a couple of questions requesting clarification for the audience but no real controversy arose. It seemed that perhaps local residents are pleased overall with the function of the Bear River Compact in the Evanston area. 

“We anticipated it being pretty low key here,” Barnett said of the proceedings.

The only concerns raised had to do with future meetings in the other cities along the Bear River and the way their feedback might affect the future of water in Uinta County. 

“There are a lot of issues with the Great Salt Lake Area … the Utah delegation tells us that there are some groups that are really focused on this,” Barnett said of the potential for change to the compact.

The commission hopes to hear input from both sides — those who are pleased and displeased with the compact. 

“… If people in this room think the compact is fine, then we would like to get letters from those people in advance so that we aren’t only hearing comments from those people who want changes,” Barnett said. 

If residents are interested in having their voices heard, the meeting on Oct. 3, was not their last chance. They are welcome and attend the meetings in the other cities and to mail or email their comments to one of the addresses below.

Barnett said it is the commission’s hope that they will hear from those who are pleased with the way the compact has been operating so that the only voices heard aren’t those in faster developing areas such as Salt Lake City and Logan, Utah.

All comments are due to the commission by 5 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2017. 

If major changes to the Bear River Compact are initiated in the meetings held in the remaining cities, a long and arduous process will begin.

“The commission has no preconceived notion on whether or not we ought to amend the compact,” Barnett said, “… so we don’t know [until] after Dec. 4 what our next step is.” 

Uinta County residents who benefit either residentially or agriculturally from the harvesting of water from the Bear River can rest assured for the time being that if issues were to arrive further down the road, they would again have to opportunity to add their input. 

“Clearly, if there were to be proposed amendments to the compact that would seriously go forward then we’re required by law to come out and have public hearings again. It might be fairly far down the road … but it would happen” Barnett said.

Comments, concerns and questions can be submitted to the commission at:

Bear River Commission 

RE: 20-Year Compact Review 

106 West 500 South, Suite 101

Bountiful, Utah 84010

Public input can also be sent via email to review@bearrivercommission.org.