Wilds groups oppose Price River dam plan

The Price River in central Utah is one of the 10 most endangered rivers in the country, two environmental groups say.

At the same time, America's Rivers and the Utah Rivers Council believe an alternative to a dam on one of the river's tributaries would make the dam unnecessary.

"The Price River itself is really well known for good reasons," said Merritt Frey of the rivers council. Among those are its "gorgeous river canyon, wonderful hiking and boating opportunities, and a pretty amazing wildlife habitat area."

However, in the groups' opinion, a proposed dam develop- ment on the tributary Gooseberry Creek threatens the Price River. They are proposing that instead of the Gooseberry Narrows Dam, Sanpete County's water needs should be met by improving the efficiency of the water delivery and irrigation systems, according to a press release.

The release quotes Frey as saying the project would cost at least $25 million and that providing the water will cost taxpayers more than $4,500 per acre-foot. Meanwhile, the dam would inundate wildlife habitat and deplete the downstream flow, the groups contend.

But if efficiency improvements are made instead, Frey told the Deseret Morning News, "We could deliver the same amount of water, 5,400 acre-feet, to Sanpete County . . . at less cost."

But Edwin Sunderland of the Sanpete County Water Conservancy District said the dam's water is needed.

"It's our water right," said Sunderland, a resident of Chester, Sanpete County. "It's been proven in court that that's our water right for that side of the mountain."

Northern Sanpete County has no water storage capacity. If the dam were built, it would provide water in the late summer, "when all the snowmelt has gone. That's when our water stops," he said.

Without a storage facility, when the winter snowpack has melted, the water drains away.

Although the dam is under study, he said, the Army Corps of Engineers and environmentalists have "put the brakes on it" for now. The problem at the Corps is that people involved with the project have been rotated to other assignments, Sunderland said.

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