Kent L. Jones, P.E.
Kent L. Jones, P.E.
State Engineer/Director
Utah Division of Water Rights
Kent graduated from Utah State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering in 1975. He worked for the U.S. Geological Survey while going to school and upon graduation went to work for the Wyoming Highway Department. After that Kent was employed for five years by two different private consulting engineering firms. He then took employment with the State of Utah at the Division of Water Rights in 1981 as the Assistant Regional Engineer in the Utah Lake/Jordan River Office. After which he worked for the Division of Water Resources for about two years as an Engineer Planner and returned to Water Rights as the Weber River/West Desert Regional Engineer. After a short assignment there, he was promoted to be the Directing Engineer for Distribution, Well Drilling, and Stream Channel Alterations.
In 1987 he was hired as the assistant State Engineer for Applications and Records and spent 21 years serving as the state water right hearing officer, reviewing applications, working closely with the Regional Offices, assisting in the process of establishing policy and guidelines, and preparing thoughtful, professional, and legally sound Orders for State Engineer signature. He has strived through his career to maintain a high level of professionalism, patience, and understanding, which is crucial in managing this precious resource so important to Utah’s future.
In January 2009, Kent was appointed by Governor Huntsman to serve as the State Engineer and the Director of the Division of Water Rights. With Senate confirmation and the Oath of Office administered, Kent assumed the responsibilities of the State Engineer for the general administrative supervision of the waters of the state and the measurement, appropriation, apportionment, and distribution or those waters.
Abstract: Water Appropriation Requests on Tributaries and Effects on the GSL System
This presentation will discuss the appropriation processes of the State Engineer as authorized under Statute. Section 73-3 of the Utah Code outlines processing and approval criteria for considering applications filed with the Division of Water Rights. The statute directs the State Engineer to approve applications “if there is unappropriated water in the source; the proposed use will not impair existing rights or interfere with the more beneficial use of the water; the proposed plan is physically and economically feasible… and would not prove detrimental to the public welfare; the applicant has the financial ability to complete the proposed works; and the application was filed in good faith and not for the purposes of speculation or monopoly.” Statute gives direction that “if the State Engineer… has reason to believe that an application… will interfere with its more beneficial use… or will unreasonably affect public recreation or the natural stream environment, or prove detrimental to the public welfare,” the State Engineer shall “withhold approval or rejection of the application until the State Engineer has investigated the matter.” An evaluation of the statutory criteria will be made as part of the presentation.
The discussion will also include an evaluation of the types of applications approved and the impacts that may be expected in the Great Salt Lake as these applications are developed. Recently filed applications will also be reviewed concerning their attributes, proposed uses, and processing requirements.
Seclusion :: HDR :: Vertorama by Mike Sumsion
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