
STUDY OVERVIEW
The United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), with assistance from Price City (project sponsor) and Carbon Canal Company, Price-Wellington Canal Company, and Gay Ditch Company as co-sponsors, proposes improvements that are essential to improve efficiency, resiliency, and reliability of the existing water management systems in the watershed. The main goal of the project is to address current annual shortages and concerns related to water supply for various user groups. This would be achieved by enhancing water resources through solutions such as water storage, increased regulation capacity, more efficient water delivery systems, and improved water conservation methods. The proposed project is intended to improve reliability and availability of water resources in the watershed by:
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Collecting and storing water during periods of non-use, low demand, or high flow during irrigation season.
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Ensuring adequate water flow during the irrigation season.
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Improving the efficiency of water delivery systems.
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Enhancing water conservation practices.
The project is needed to improve agricultural water management by addressing frequent and recurring water shortages in agricultural, municipal, and industrial water supplies. These shortages are due to a combination of long-term climatic trends affecting the amount of water available for users in the Upper Price River Watershed, seasonal imbalances that affect the timing of water availability and use, lack of a local storage facility, inefficient water usage in municipalities and agricultural irrigation systems, deficiencies in agricultural water delivery system that contribute to water loss associated with seepage and evaporation, and an upcoming inter-basin transfer project that would further reduce the amount of water available to users. A water storage reservoir in the valley is needed to capture high spring runoff for use later in the season, to provide potential for improving irrigation water management through the conversion to pressurized irrigation systems, and to allow for exchanges with municipal and industrial users.
An evaluation of potential project alternatives and associated environmental impacts is required to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations. The evaluation will be documented in the form of a Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS). A preliminary draft Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS) is currently being reviewed by NRCS and the Cooperating Agencies, which include BLM, BOR, EPA, and USACE (April 2025).


UPPER PRICE RIVER WATERSHED PLAN-EIS
SCHEDULE
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The Upper Price River Watershed Project, funded through USDA-NRCS’s PL83-566 program, is needed to examine methods that would provide a more reliable water supply to water users and to conserve water in the watershed. Project benefits include improving the efficiency, resiliency, and reliability of water systems to provide greater capacity for and flexibility in accommodating the needs of multiple uses, including municipal, industrial, agricultural, and environmental.
A preliminary draft Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS) is currently being reviewed by NRCS and the Cooperating Agencies, which include BLM, BOR, EPA, and USACE. Proposed project measures included in the alternatives include:
• Proposed diversion structure on Price River near the existing Bryner-Ploutz diversion upstream of Gigliotti Pond
• Proposed large diameter transmission pipeline (72”) from diversion location to a proposed reservoir
• Proposed dam and reservoir: Two locations being evaluated - Garley Canyon and Consumers Wash
• Proposed piping of Gay Ditch, Carbon Canal, and Price-Wellington Canal irrigation systems (pressurized)
• Recreation Facilities at either reservoir
• Stormwater management for existing canal systems
It is anticipated that a Draft Plan-EIS will be available for public review in fall 2025.
PUBLIC MEETINGS
ONLINE PUBLIC MEETING
The public was invited to participate in an online Public Scoping Meeting on Oct. 29, 2020 to learn about the environmental study process, ask questions and learn how to submit comments.
Note: This meeting was recorded for those unable to join live,
see video below.
Public Scoping Meeting | Oct. 29, 2020
CLICK ON EACH PUBLIC MEETING BELOW TO VIEW THE PRESENTATION MATERIALS. MATERIALS WILL BE POSTED THE DAY AFTER EACH MEETING.
CONTACT US

PHONE: 435-922-3882
EMAIL: Info@UpperPriceRiverEIS.com
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