Engineering:Uinta Basin Replacement Project

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Short description: Water project in northeastern Utah, United States

The Uinta Basin Replacement Project (UBRP) is a component of the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project (CUP) located in Duchesne County, Utah, near Altamont, Upalco, and Roosevelt. It was authorized by Section 203(a) of the Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA) as a partial replacement for water development planned under the unbuilt Uinta and Upalco Units.[1][2] The project stabilizes 13 high mountain lakes in the High Uintas Wilderness, enlarges Big Sand Wash Reservoir, provides municipal and industrial (M&I) water to Roosevelt City, supplies supplemental irrigation water, and improves instream flows and recreation resources in the basin.[3]

Background

Congress enacted CUPCA (Pub. L. 102–575, Title II–VI) in 1992. Section 203(a) authorized construction of the Uinta Basin Replacement Project; Section 203(c) requires binding contracts for the purchase of project water supplies before federal funds can be expended.[4] A Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for UBRP was released for public review on February 12, 2001, and the Final EA and related decisions followed that year and in 2004 for mitigation features.[5][6][7]

Facilities and purposes

UBRP achieves its purposes through four principal features:[3]

  • High Mountain Lakes stabilization — Thirteen lakes in the Lake Fork River drainage within the High Uintas Wilderness were reconstructed and stabilized near natural elevations to improve wilderness values and sport fisheries; former irrigation storage was transferred to Big Sand Wash Reservoir.[3]
  • Big Sand Wash Feeder Diversion & Pipeline — A new diversion on the Lake Fork River and a 4.3 miles (6.9 km) pipeline (diversion capacity about 70 cfs) deliver water to Big Sand Wash Reservoir; the historic "C Canal" also continues to convey flows to the reservoir.[3]
  • Big Sand Wash Reservoir enlargement — The dam was raised 26 feet (7.9 m), increasing active storage from about 12,100 to 24,100 acre-feet and surface area from about 393 to 650 acres; construction of the enlargement was completed in June 2007.[3][8]
  • Big Sand Wash–Roosevelt municipal pipeline — A new approximately 15 miles (24 km) pipeline using a 30-inch diameter pipe (flow capacity about 35 cfs) conveys M&I water to Roosevelt City.[3]

Project water supplies include roughly 3,000 acre-feet per year of M&I water for Roosevelt City and 2,500 acre-feet per year for supplemental irrigation, along with environmental and recreation enhancements such as improved instream flows on reaches of the Lake Fork River.[3]

Development timeline

Planning and environmental review occurred in 2001; construction of major features followed in the mid-2000s. The Big Sand Wash Diversion and Feeder Pipeline were completed in March 2004, and the Big Sand Wash Dam enlargement was completed in June 2007.[9][10]

Administration

The Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) is the local sponsor responsible for construction of water development features; the U.S. Department of the Interior (CUPCA Office) oversees funding, compliance, and environmental mitigation in coordination with the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission.[3][11][12]

See also

  • Central Utah Project
  • Duchesne County, Utah

References

  1. ↑ "CUPCA Legislation". U.S. Department of the Interior. https://www.doi.gov/cupcao/cupca-legislation. 
  2. ↑ "Uintah Basin Replacement Project". U.S. Department of the Interior – CUPCA Office. https://www.doi.gov/cupcao/uinta-basin-replacement-project. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 "Uintah Basin Replacement Project". U.S. Department of the Interior – CUPCA Office. https://www.doi.gov/cupcao/uinta-basin-replacement-project. 
  4. ↑ "Central Utah Project Completion Act — Federal Register Notice (Draft EA availability)". Federal Register. March 16, 2001. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2001-03-16/pdf/01-6551.pdf. 
  5. ↑ "Central Utah Project Completion Act". Federal Register. March 16, 2001. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/03/16/01-6551/central-utah-project-completion-act. 
  6. ↑ "Notice of Availability of the Decision Notice and FONSI for UBRP Mitigation Features". Federal Register. March 5, 2004. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2004/03/05/04-5012/notice-of-availability-of-the-decision-notice-and-finding-of-no-significant-impact-fonsi-for. 
  7. ↑ "Plans & Studies (UBRP Mitigation Documents)". Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission. https://mitigationcommission.gov/planning/plans_and_studies.html. 
  8. ↑ "Central Utah Projects (Bonneville Unit)". Bureau of Reclamation. 2008. https://www.usbr.gov/projects/pdf.php?id=3. 
  9. ↑ "UBRP Mitigation & Project Overview (presentation)". Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission. 2009. https://www.mitigationcommission.gov/hmls/pdfs/ubrp_mitigation_presentation.pdf. 
  10. ↑ "Central Utah Projects (Bonneville Unit)". Bureau of Reclamation. 2008. https://www.usbr.gov/projects/pdf.php?id=3. 
  11. ↑ "Other CUPCA Programs". U.S. Department of the Interior – CUPCA Office. https://www.doi.gov/cupcao/programs. 
  12. ↑ "High Mountain Lake Stabilization (UBRP)". Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission. https://www.mitigationcommission.gov/hmls/hmls_home.htm. 



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