13 water projects in the state compete for stimulus funding

OGDEN — As the Ogden River courses through its namesake city, it's swift. Near the riverbank, the water and shade add a coolness you don't feel outside of the canopy of trees.

But for at least a one-mile stretch of the river, from Grant Avenue to the viaduct on 20th Street, the river has been altered — coerced into a channel reinforced with massive concrete blocks. In some places, it appears concrete was simply poured down the bank.

A blue, lived-in tent is hidden in the undergrowth. It's just one of three apparent living quarters along that stretch of the river.

This section of the Ogden River could be restored to a natural wider river channel that could accommodate higher flows, reduce urban encroachment and increase available wetlands by 50,000 square feet for $7.25 million.

Ogden officials are hoping up to $4 million of that will come from federal stimulus money, a request that will be decided upon this week.

When the Utah Water Quality Board meets Wednesday at 8 a.m., it will consider requests involving the Ogden River Restoration Project and 12 other similar projects around the state.

The board has already divvied out $16 million to various projects to help curb pollution of Utah's waterways, but the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act states grant money for water quality should include "green" projects.

It has $4 million left to spend and received requests from 87 projects worth more than $102 million.

The Utah Division of Water Quality staff members have narrowed the field to 13 top candidates worth $17.3 million.

In a letter to the board, division director Walt Baker recommended the board fund those 13 projects and added that the board would authorize other available federal or state grant funds if more than $4 million is needed.

But the grant is a competitive process. Each project leader has stated why his project deserves a slice of the money.

Other competing projects include stream restorations on the Jordan, Weber, Sevier and Strawberry rivers; sediment reduction for Clyde Creek, East Canyon Reservoir and Uintah County's Matt Warner Reservoir; carp removal for Utah Lake; construction of a LEED Platinum-certified education building at the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District; and construction of wetlands on the Jordan River and at Utah Lake.

Project requests for stimulus funds range from $100,000 to $600,000.

Ogden's official request is $500,000, said Caroline Bradford, a consultant on the project, but the board may decide to grant more money than was requested.

That's what Bradford and Ogden officials hope will happen.

"I hope the state would take that opportunity to make a big splash," Bradford said, adding that it would be a "missed opportunity to do something big" if the stimulus money is spread to various projects.

More information, including proposals from all 87 projects, is available at the Division's Web site: www.waterquality.utah.gov and click on "Water Quality Board."

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