Utah adds 4 to its board that seeks to 'defend' its Colorado River water

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has added four new members to its Colorado River Authority of Utah board as it seeks to maintain its allotment of the critical river amid a rift between its neighbors.

Teresa Wilhelmsen, Dustin Jansen, Brian Martinez and Roger Pearson on Tuesday were all named to the board, an entity that aims to protect Utah's water rights in the Colorado River system.

Wilhelmsen has served as the state engineer and director of the Utah Division of Water Rights since 2020, while Jansen is the director of the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, Martinez serves as a Grand County commissioner and Pearson is the Colorado River program manager for the Central Utah Water Conservancy District.

Utah receives 23% of the water apportioned to the Upper Basin states, which accounts for one-third of the state's drinking water, on top of other benefits, per the Utah Division of Water Rights.

All four named to the board bring a "distinct and valuable perspective" during a pivotal time for the state and region, said Gene Shawcroft, Utah's Colorado River commissioner.

"As Utah works to defend every drop of our Colorado River allotment, we need a board that reflects the full range of interests at stake, including water rights, tribal communities, regional water management and the communities who depend on this river every day," he said in a statement.

Their additions come weeks after the Bureau of Reclamation released its post-2026 plan for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, following a contentious battle between the Upper Basin and Lower Basin states that led to no consensus agreement over water use.

The federal plan essentially allows it to adjust Lake Powell and Lake Mead operations depending on the conditions every other year through 2036, while the Lower Basin's usage could be cut by as much as 3 million acre-feet.

Utah and Upper Basin states may voluntarily cut consumption as well, although it's unclear if the plan will be used in its entirety. Both sides said they were not negotiating an agreement that could eventually replace the federal plan.

"(It's) a bridge, not a destination," Shawcroft said after the plan was released. "We have a lot of other things that will have to be released in order for us to understand how all the puzzle pieces fit together."

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