The Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining (DOGM) announced that work has begun on the Mohrland Culvert project in Emery County. The purpose of this project is to repair a historic stone culvert that is eight miles west of Huntington.
According to the DOGM, this is necessary to prevent erosion that could cause the culvert to collapse and lead to local flooding. Temporarily, Cedar Creek will be diverted during the construction. This culvert was built in the early 1900s alongside the Mohrland coal mine as is a notable example of Utah coal country stonework.
“It was stabilized in 1996 and 2017 but was damaged during a heavy rainstorm in 2022. The project is funded by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining’s Abandoned Mine Land Fund,” the DOGM stated.
In 1907, Mohrland was the only coal camp located in Emery County, boasting a mine that employed 275 men. The mine struggled and eventually closed during the Great Depression, though the culvert remains a significant historical structure and is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
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- Photos Courtesy of the Utah DOGM
