uintah basin replacement projects duchesne and strawberry rivers

duchesne and strawberry rivers Planning, EIS, & Pre-Construction The permanent diversion facilities to be built on the Duchesne and Strawberry Rivers will be identified by the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission. Design and construction of the diversion facilities is to be performed by the District. The required planning and NEPA compliance documents will be prepared by the District. Duchesne River Diversion Dams Water users on the Duchesne River have engaged in periodic streambed alteration in order to maintain appropriated flows through their diversion facilities. They have been informed by the State Engineer that they will not be allowed to do this in the future without permits. Such streambed alteration has adversely affected fish habitat in certain reaches of these streams which provide important fish and wildlife values for the Central Utah Project. In addition, with the completion of many features of the Central Utah Project the flows of the Duchesne River will be consistently lower than in the past and will contribute to increased difficulties with these temporary and many times ineffective diversions. Also, these structures do not have the capability to make minimum flow passes for fishery purposes. One of the commitments of the Central Utah Project Completion Act is to make minimum fishery flow passes past the Strawberry Aqueduct and to continue those flows down the Duchesne River. The CUPCA authorizes nonreimbursable Federal funding for the construction of permanent diversion facilities in order to avoid further periodic streambed alteration at these sites. The design of any such facilities must receive the prior written approval of the Federal and State fish and wildlife agencies to ensure that fish and wildlife habitat values are retained during and after construction. Strawberry River Diversion Dams Water users on the Strawberry River have engaged in periodic streambed alteration in order to maintain appropriated flows through their diversion facilities. They have been informed by the State Engineer that they will not be allowed to do this in the future without permits. Such streambed alteration has adversely affected f ish habitat in certain reaches of these streams which provide important fish and wildlife values for the Central Utah Project. Existing structures do not have the capability to make minimum flow passes for fishery purposes. One of the commitments of the Central Utah Project Completion Act is to provide minimum stream flows. The CUPCA authorizes nonreimbursable Federal funding for the construction of permanent diversion facilities in order to avoid further periodic streambed alteration at these sites. The design of any such facilities must receive the prior written approval of the Federal and State fish and wildlife agencies to ensure that fish and wildlife habitat values are retained during and after construction.