Willard Bay-linked bill OK'd

WASHINGTON — The federal government may soon study whether it could raise the height of the Arthur V. Watkins Dam that holds Willard Bay in Weber County, based on a bill approved Wednesday in the House.

The bill calls for the Bureau of Reclamation to do an environmental study and figure out how much it would cost to raise the dam. Boosting the height would increase how much water Willard Bay can hold and help the water supply of the Weber Basin Project area, according to the bill.

"The bottom line is we need more water in Utah, and it's got to come from somewhere," said Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah. "It would be a good idea to see if we can increase the capacity of Willard Bay, which is already a critical part of our water infrastructure in northern Utah."

The bill authorizes $1 million for the study and allows the federal government and the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District to equally share the cost, with the district contributing in-kind a similar amount to cover the cost of the study.

According to Bishop's office, raising the dam by just a few feet could dramatically increase its capacity. The study authorized in the bill will determined exactly how much the dam could be raised, but the increase could be as much as 50,000 or 70,000 acre-feet.

A subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee took up the Senate version of the bill last week, which allows the measure to move forward to a full committee and eventually a full Senate vote.

"Utah is the second-driest state in the country, and Weber County doesn't have enough water to meet its growth needs right now," said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.. "Thousands rely on the Weber Basin reservoirs for drinking water and agriculture. Weber's one of the fastest-growing areas in the state, so it's crucial that we increase water capacity to meet the increased demand."

Tage Flint, the water district's general manager, said the legislation has been five years in coming and will help increase drinking-water supplies. "We are very pleased that it's moving along."

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