Members of the Water Issues Task Force passed the pair of so-called "instream flow" bills in a bid to ease what has until now been a complicated process for rights holders to use their water.

Water managers told lawmakers that the passage of the water quality bill would provide them with a new set of tools that will translate into savings for taxpayers.

"If we can stabilize stream flows, it helps us predict. It helps us budget," said Jerry Kinghorn, who spoke in support of an instream flow bill on behalf of a group of water reclamation facilities.

But he and other backers of the bill, which called for a permanent change to the state's instream flow laws, only got part of what they wanted. Lawmakers ultimately approved an alternative bill that sunsets after 10 years.

That approach made sense to Mark Danenhauer, River Solutions Coordinator for the Utah Rivers Council. While the environmental organization was officially neutral on the bills, Danenhauer said it was prudent to see how the changes would work out before making a full commitment to them.

"It's a more modest change and provides an opportunity to see how this kind of a change will impact rights holders, [water treatment managers] and streams," he said.

In the interim, Danenhauer suggested new technology might be developed that could reduce the need for water treatment facilities to use instream flows to meet water quality standards.

The bill related to protecting trout habitat was more straightforward.

Promoted by Trout Unlimited's Utah chapter, the proposed legislation was touted as a way to give ranchers and farmers - and angling groups - more resources for enhancing their trout habitat, thus avoiding potential collisions with the federal Endangered Species Act down the line.

"It affords a water rights holder greater management flexibility," Trout Unlimited's Tim Hawkes told the task force.

"It will not upset the apple cart. It's a modest adjustment to existing law, opening up fair and good [water] leases around the state."

Added Claudia Cottle, executive director of Bear Lake Watch: "Saving a few fish and a little water now may lead to a big payoff in the future."

jbaird@sltrib.com