Water Project Seeks To Tackle Cedar Valley’s Growing Shortages

The Central Iron County Water Conservancy District (CICWCD) has formally asked the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to resume the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process for the Pine Valley Water Supply (PVWS) project. This marks a significant step in the District’s long-term strategy to address water shortages in Cedar Valley through science-based, sustainable solutions.

The PVWS project aims to transport groundwater from Basin 14 (Pine Valley), northwest of Cedar City, to Basin 73 (Cedar Valley), where communities are facing a steadily declining aquifer. Designed in compliance with Utah water law and environmental regulations, the project includes safeguards to ensure withdrawals remain within Pine Valley’s safe yield and do not harm ecosystems or existing water users. In a press release, CICWCD General Manager Paul Monroe stated, “We’re not just planning for the next few years—we’re building a water future that’s resilient, sustainable, and backed by science. Pine Valley’s water will be managed with care, to help Cedar Valley survive and thrive.”

Approval For The Project Expected Late This Year

In 2019, the District secured 15,000 acre-feet of court-decreed water rights in Basin 14, subject to strict limits on extraction and protections for senior rights. Over the past 15 years, extensive hydrological studies by the U.S. Geological Survey have informed the project’s adaptive design. These studies were updated during a two-year pause in the EIS process, prompting the District’s June 2024 request for BLM to resume environmental review. Public scoping and stakeholder engagement will follow, with final EIS approval anticipated in late 2025.

Read More: Water District Improving Infrastructure 

Cedar Valley currently consumes about 28,000 acre-feet of water annually, though only 21,000 acre-feet are sustainably available. Without new sources like PVWS, municipalities could face mandatory 75% cuts in groundwater rights by 2070.

The PVWS infrastructure will be powered by a 200-acre solar facility and will include gravity-fed pipeline sections to reduce energy use. A robust monitoring and mitigation plan will guide operations, with real-time pumping adjustments, habitat protections, and ongoing USGS oversight to safeguard aquifer health.

Paul Monroe is scheduled to talk more about this on the Tuesday morning Big Picture Morning Show on KSUB

More information is available at cicwcd.org/pvwsproject/.