A project recently started by the Price River Watershed Council to research building a new reservoir housed in Garley Wash, located nearly two miles west of the Carbon Golf Course’s back nine, is underway.
The Price River Watershed Council was formed about a year ago. Russell Seeley, Price City Engineer, is chair of the council, which is also comprised of members from local irrigation companies, Price River Water Improvement District (PRWID), representatives from the county and numerous other individuals including senator David Hinkins and representative Brad King. The watershed council does not want to leave anyone out that has interest in the project and would like to encourage people to join. Meetings are open to anyone that would like to attend.
Seeley explained the current plans underway for the reservoir project. He stated that Price City is taking the lead in the project, but that it is not the only city that is a part of it. East Carbon, Helper and Wellington have all also been in attendance. It is very much a community-wide project.
Price City has a water right to store 5,000 acres of water. What the city would like to do is come up with more water rights to build the reservoir in Garley Wash to store 5,000 to 10,000 acres of water. The water will come from the Price River. A diversion will be constructed in Price Canyon near the water treatment plant and will divert water down to the reservoir. The reservoir will be high enough so that, eventually, the current open canal system in the county can be piped.
“There are quite a few benefits to this,” stated Seeley. He explained that it can save on evaporation and water infiltrating the ground and will also be able to pressurize the irrigation systems.
Seeley stated that the vision is for a multi-phase project. The project is currently in the preliminary stages right now, but the council has received a $300,000 grant from the state to conduct an investigation.
The Price River Watershed Council will be working with a geotechnical firm that will drill holes into the ground to get a better idea of what they are up against, which will happen in the early spring. Once the testing is concluded, the group will begin looking at ways to aquire funding to pay for the dam. “Ideally, we will have the construction started in three to four years, but it is unsure,” Seeley said.