This is our water. Once it melts we have no way of storing it. That means after the fourth of July, we can’t water our crops. How many of you stop watering your gardens or yards at the height of summer heat? Eighty years ago a plan was established to remedy this situation. A storage resevoir would be built in Sanpete and the Scofield resevoir in Carbon County would be doubled in size. Sanpete’s resevoir would be built first.

Before work on the Sanpete project, called the Narrows or Gooseberry, commenced, a serious risk was identified in the Scofield structure. “During World War II, it was discovered that Scofield was failing. A catastrophic failure of Scofield would do huge damage, including wiping out the railroad line that carried Carbon’s coal to Geneva Steel in Orem. The damage to Carbon’s economy, and to Geneva Steel’s contribution to America’s war effort was simply unacceptable.” (quoted from The Narrows Project Website)

Sanpete agreed that Carbon County’s Scofield project must be completed first. The dam was repaired, and its size doubled. The war ended. Carbon County had their water. Sanpete did not. Since that time, whenever Sanpete has tried to initiate progress on the resevoir to store its OWN runoff, the Carbon County Commission, the Carbon Water Conservancy district, the Price Water Users’ Association, and others have objected.

We need the capacity to store our water. We need the Narrows Project. Please help us by sending an email to the Bureau of Reclamation. Your email needs to be in their hands BEFORE JUNE 1 and must contain your full name and address.

narrowsSDEIS@usbr.gov

You can read more about the Narrows Project on this website and also in this article in the Salt Lake Tribune.

Here’s the letter Nate sent:

I am a local farmer in the North Sanpete area and have been here for over 35 years. Without the ability to store water, we are 100% dependent on spring run off and when the run-off ends, usually by end of June, so too does our crop irrigation. We desperately need the water promised to us to continue with our crop production. Each year we eek out one and half crops of alfalfa, which is not enough to even pay the expenses. With this Narrows Dam Project, we would be able to get an extra crop, making it possible to sustain our operation and secure a future for agriculture business in Sanpete. I only desire this project to be completed as promised. I have traveled to Carbon County in the fall and observe their continued irrigation of crops well into October. It is only fair, that we recuperate the water that rightfully belongs to us. I urge you, with all of the emphasis I can, to end the bickering and approve this project so we may sustain our desire to preserve our local economy and feed our communities.

Here’s the letter I sent:

I’ve lived in North Sanpete for the past seven years, first in Mt. Pleasant city and currently in the county. Sanpete maintains excellent water conservation principles both within its cities and in its various agricultural pursuits. Utah State University has recognized Sanpete County as a leader in water conservation measures. Even so, I’ve experienced the yearly summer water rationing as a city resident, and witnessed first hand the crop devastation each year beginning in July when we no longer have water for our alfalfa, barley, and oats. Citizens of our cities, as well as our many farmers, would benefit greatly from being able to store our own runoff–our own water.

Repeated environmental impact and engineering studies show there is no better place to build The Narrows Dam and Reservoir. The location is a relatively small area inhabited by sage brush and a small meandering stream. Due to a tunnel ditch and gravity, the proposed site involves no pumping costs. In 1984 Carbon County agreed, in writing, that the Narrows Project should be built, and agreed not to oppose it. I urge you to move forward with this project that began in the 1930’s. It’s time we had access to our own water.