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The Effects On Agriculture In Utah Of Water Transfers To Oil Shale Development, B. Delworth Gardner, Kenneth S. Lyon, Roger O. Tew

Reports

In Part I the institutional factors affecting water distribution in the Upper Colorado River Basin in general and specifically the Uintah Basin are presented. The historical development of the appropriation doctrine of water allocation is outlined and Utah water policy is examined. These institutional factors are analyzed in light of the prototype oil shale development in the Uintah Basin and potential impact on the area's agricultural sector. Oil shale water estimates are compared with Uintah Basin water availability and examined with regard to population projections and municipal water use. Lastly, Utah water policy and the appropriation doctrine are viewed as …