A 1993 report, titled “Utah State Water Plan: Kanab Creek/Virgin River Basin,” highlighted a critical challenge: “In general, irrigation water needs exceed supply. This accents the need for wise management and conservation of water. Monitoring of groundwater storage would be imperative to prevent mining.”
Are we paying attention to that advice? The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) lists over 50 wells in Washington County, but only 16 provided data for 2024, with historical annual data spanning at least 10 years. That’s a concerning gap. Zach Frankel, Executive Director of the Utah Rivers Council, warned me a couple of years ago: “Groundwater science is often archaic and usually underfunded.” So much for paying attention to good advice.
The Good News
Overall, water levels in these 16 wells have been rising. This trend may partly result from the wet year in 2023. But a more significant influence is likely the Washington County Water Conservancy District’s (WCWCD) Sand Hollow Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASAR) project.
This project stores Virgin River water in the aquifer beneath Sand Hollow Reservoir. During droughts or periods of increased demand, the stored water can be recovered, offering long-term natural water storage. Compared to surface reservoirs, underground aquifers minimize evaporation, protect against contamination, store greater water volumes, and reduce environmental impacts.
The impact this aquifer storage project is having is supported by the graph below, showing the highest increases in the Hurricane area, which is close to the aquifer. The ASAR project is part of WCWCD’s 20-year water supply plan to bridge short-term supply gaps and buffer against the impacts of drought.
In addition to Hurricane, water levels have risen in Enterprise, where a groundwater management plan aims to restore declining aquifer levels, and Desert Canyon, near the airport, where groundwater typically has high dissolved solids concentrations.
WCWCD’s Public Information Manager, Karry Rathje, recently explained, “We are looking at areas where we believe additional groundwater could be pumped without harming local aquifers. Water levels have increased in Hurricane, as planned, because of the Sand Hollow aquifer storage.”
Some might speculate that Hurricane’s water level increases could result from reduced water withdrawals, but that’s unlikely given the city’s rapid growth. I met with Hurricane’s Mayor Billings last weeks and she confirmed that water usage has increased, reinforcing the impact of the ASAR project.
Looking ahead, WCWCD aims to develop groundwater sources outside the Sand Hollow aquifer to preserve it as a drought and emergency resource.
Groundwater Sustainability
Excluding wells in Hurricane, Enterprise, and Desert Canyon, most other county wells have maintained stable water levels over the past decade. In other words, groundwater is generally being “harvested” sustainably rather than “mined.” That’s encouraging.
Room For Improvement
Despite these positive trends, why aren’t all wells being monitored? Ryan Rowland, Data Chief at the USGS Utah Water Science Center cites two key challenges: losing monitoring sites in rapidly growing areas and sometimes being denied access to sites. However, Rowland noted the USGS’s interest in adding new monitoring wells.
Karry Rathje also told me that WCWCD will be working with USGS and other hydrologists to better understand our local aquifers, including the impact urban recharge (water from outside irrigation) has on ground and surface water.
Additionally, hydrologic studies will explore whether unused water rights can be converted into reliable supply yields without compromising groundwater sources. These efforts could identify opportunities to secure up to 3,000 acre-feet of additional groundwater annually, enough to supply over 5,000 homes. While this is a step forward, meeting the needs of the county’s anticipated growth over the next 20 years will require even greater water resources.
Conclusion
The rising water levels and resilience added by the Sand Hollow ASAR project are encouraging. We should celebrate good water news. However, the lessons from the 1993 report remain vital: wise water management and robust monitoring are imperative. Strengthening groundwater science and ensuring comprehensive monitoring are essential to sustain Washington County’s water supply amid ongoing growth and climate challenges.
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