Director and Shareholder, Co-Chair of Natural Resources and Water Law Practice Group
ClydeSnow Attorneys At Law
Bio:
Ms. Lewis assists clients in navigating complex water problems. She advises individual water right owners, water conservancy districts, municipalities, mining companies, and mutual shareholder irrigation companies. Her strategic projects practice extends to innovative policy work and specialty project management. She presently acts as the Utah Water Banking Project Manager and hosts Ripple Effect—A Podcast Putting Water in Context.
Title: Utah Water Law: A 5 Year Look Back To Inform Future Action
Abstract: In the last 5 years Utah has made substantial progress in updating critical elements of Utah Water Law. For example, we have updated instream flow provisions, changed beneficial use standards to incentivize water conservation, and greatly enhanced our shepherding capabilities. These investments will allow the State to be more responsive in addressing contemporary issues like drought, population growth, and environmental concerns like water for the Colorado River and Great Salt Lake. To continue our forward trajectory, this presentation will provide a survey of key actions taken to date, discuss how they support a myriad of state water policy efforts, and highlight areas for continued discussion.