The washington county water conservancy district (wcwcd) will conduct a thorough groundwater study around the gunlock reservoir of washington county, utah to characterize the aquifer recharge and…

The Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD) received a $400,255 Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation under the Applied Science Grants program (CFDA 15.557). The funding will support a comprehensive groundwater study around the Gunlock Reservoir in Washington County, Utah to characterize the aquifer recharge and determine the sustainable yield. The project will involve compiling and reviewing existing data, assessing groundwater and surface water trends, and developing a groundwater model. This effort is intended to inform the WCWCD's 20-year water management plan and address projected water supply imbalances due to population growth, droughts, and floods in the region. The tools and data collected through this applied research initiative will be used by water managers and conservation groups to support sustainable water resource management strategies.

The washington county water conservancy district (wcwcd) will conduct a thorough groundwater study around the gunlock reservoir of washington county, utah to characterize the aquifer recharge and determine the actual sustainable yield. The wcwcd 2022 master plan determined that, as of 2028, the district will not have enough water to meet the demands of the areas growing population without immediate action. The groundwater study will involve compiling and reviewing available information and previous studies, characterizing groundwater and surface water, identifying trends, and creating a groundwater model. The project will be outsourced to an engineering firm specializing in hydrogeology, who may determine a need to drill observation wells. The tools and data collected will inform water managers and local conservation groups and support the wcwcds 20-year plan in addressing the projected water imbalance due to growth, droughts, and floods. The project is supported by the virgin river program and the united states geological survey.