Utah water agent Joel Ferry’s job is to help secure his state’s future water needs. Ferry, whose position was created during the 2024 legislative session, said he’s looking at everything from conservation to new sources.
Previous legislation prevented him from negotiating with other states tied to interstate water compacts. Now, a new Utah law gives Ferry the power to collaborate on water issues with states in the Colorado and Bear river basins.
But Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Great Basin Water Network, a water policy nonprofit, is concerned Ferry could be a wild card in sensitive talks over the rivers’ futures.
“It opens the door to greater possibilities that Utah is going to be appropriating more water, cutting those deals behind closed doors,” Roerink said. “In this era of aridity, scarcity, the public needs to know early and often about negotiations pertaining to their water resources. These are the waters of the people.”
In a statement to the Mountain West News Bureau, Ferry said he “does not have the authority to enter into any contract with another state or entity.” The Utah water agent added he can recommend a potential project to Utah’s Board of Water Resources for their input and approval.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, KUNC in Colorado and KANW in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
