No hint of drought in reservoirs

Two years ago this week, Utah's reservoirs were at record lows. Today, most are nearly full.

The contrast highlights the success of the reservoirs during the state's five-year drought and has kept federal and local water experts focused on preparations for future droughts, the impact of earthquakes on Utah's dams and perhaps the largest and most predictable challenge — population growth.

"The drought between 1999 and 2004 was one of the nastiest Utah has experienced in the past 400 years," said Randy Julander of the Natural Resource Conservation Service's snow survey program. "But the past two years have been excellent water years."

"It really is amazing that Willard Bay, Deer Creek and other reservoirs have rebounded as quickly as they have," said Brent Rhees, assistant Provo area manager for the federal Bureau of Reclamation.

"The drought was telling as far as the importance of our reservoirs," Rhees added. "It didn't really impact people. So what if we had to water only between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.?"

Utah's reserves were tested, though. Willard Bay drained to about 15 percent of its capacity, and most of that was unusable storage.

"We were right down to what we could get out of it," said Chris Hogge, manager of the irrigation and power department for the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District.

Now the state's water reserve turnaround has Deer Creek Reservoir brimming at 98 percent capacity, Jordanelle at 97 percent, Willard Bay 96 percent and Pineview 92 percent.

Deer Creek was at 64 percent exactly two years ago, up from a drought-low of about 33 percent.

Deer Creek is one of three Utah dams at different stages of the federal Safety of Dams program. Pineview completed a seismic upgrade through the program late last year and Deer Creek is in the middle of a similar upgrade. The Bureau of Reclamation plans to seek funding this fall for seismic improvements at Echo Dam.

"Pineview Dam now is designed to withstand a very large earthquake (7.5 on the Richter scale) along the Wasatch Fault," Provo Area Reclamation manager Bruce Barrett said Tuesday during a tour of the three dams and other key water sites by experts and media.

Another safety issue at Deer Creek was U.S. 189 traffic across the dam. A new bridge is being built to divert traffic off of the dam.

This is the first time in six years the Provo River Water Users Association has had its full allotment of water, association director Steve Cain said.