The compacts, however, must be approved by the federal government. With the approval of the executive director, Department of Natural Resources, and the governor, the Board of Water Resources appoints individuals to the various river commissions. These commissions administer the river compacts and bylaws. Intrastate streams are managed under state water laws. The State Engineer assures that available water supplies are distributed to users according to existing water rights.
Users distribute the water throughout their own system according to established rules or needs.
Dr. A. Alvin Bishop, founder of USU's Department of Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering and department head until his retirement in 1979, passed away May 31, 1990. He is the second prominent engineering figure to pass away since Dr. Dean Peterson, dean of the college of engineering, who died in April, 1989. Dr. Bishop made significant contributions in the management of surface irrigation farm water. His research resulted in increased agricultural production and helped conserve the precious resource of water in many arid parts of the world. He served on the faculty at USU for 33 years.