Cache County Water Manager
Bio
Robert M. Fotheringham is currently employed as the Cache County Water Manager. From June 1985 to December 2007, he was employed as the Engineer Manager (Northern Region Engineer) of the Division of Water Rights, State of Utah. His duties as Regional Engineer included responsibilities for resolution of distribution issues for seven distribution systems in the Northern Region through implementation of procedures, policies and practices. He also managed resources in the North Region to meet the statutory requirements relegated to the State Engineer. He managed the development of the Cache Valley Interim Ground Water Management Plan and served as a member of the Bear River Commission Technical Advisory Committee resolving the implementation policies, practices and procedures of the Bear River Compact while recognizing the State’s rights and decrees. Bob assisted in negotiating the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge federal and state water claims and currently serves on the Bear River Water Quality Task Force and the State Water Strategy Advisory Team. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of Utah Water Users and serves on the Utah Watershed Council.
Bob more recently assisted in the completion of the reconstruction of the Cache Highline Water Association canal infrastructure following the landslide that removed a portion of the Logan and Northern Canal. The project restored water delivery to municipalities and agricultural lands in Logan, North Logan, Hyde Park, and Smithfield. The project saves over 7,000 acre feet of water annually and secures water rights in Cache County. He is now working to formulate a Water Conservancy District to serve Cache County residents following the recommendations of a recently completed Water Master Plan for Cache County.
Panelist: Panel on Proposed Bear River Water Development
3:35-4:50pm Thursday, May 12th
Title: Cache Water District a New approach to Water Management (OUR WATER, OUR FUTURE, OUR CHOICE)
Abstract: Cache County is in the process of creating a new organization under the local district laws of the State of Utah. The organization will be fundamentally different than previous districts and will allow the people of Cache County to plan for water today and tomorrow. A group of diverse citizens in Cache County have been meeting to define the purpose and guiding principles of the governing organization. The Group determined through a consensus-building process that the Board of Directors will be an elected board that will equitably represent specific geographic areas of the county. The purpose of the organization is not to focus on a specific project or outcome, but to further protect and preserve water necessary for Cache County’s future. The district will assist in water conservation education, establish and implement water conservation policies and ordinances, undertake environmental and other studies to provide information necessary to make proper, timely water decisions, and obtain grants and low cost loans for needed water infrastructure. This approach is intended to focus the diverse water interests to objectively define needs rather than wants making possible smart water management decisions that will promote a sustainable future.