OTTER CREEK RESERVOIR, Piute County -- When the plug was pulled on Otter Creek Reservoir --one of the three largest water storage facilities on the Sevier River -- it was nearly drained dry. Now a $2.1 million project that was required by the state of Utah is near conclusion.
But the project remains a concern to water users, according to Ivan Cowley of Venice, Sevier County, president of the Otter Creek Reservoir Co. He and others fear that a winter with light snowfall could result in a shortage of irrigation water next summer that would cost farmers thousands, perhaps even millions, of dollars.Cowley says a good share of the cost is in engineering and testing. "The Legislature has made it engineering job security," he said, half serious and half joking. The state will finance 95 percent of the costs through the Utah Division of Water Resources and the Otter Creek Reservoir Co. will pick up five percent.
The Otter Creek Dam has stood in place for about a century, having been built between 1897 and 1901. The cost of construction was $125,000.
Bringing the dam up to state standards will increase safety during earthquakes and floods. A flood that would wash out the Otter Creek and Piute Reservoir dams, for example, would mean that Venice, Utah, would be under 29 feet of water.
Flooding is generally rare in the Sevier Valley below the two reservoirs. The last one was in 1983 when the Sevier River exceeded its banks in a number of places but the damage was relatively light, mostly limited to some farm lands and basements of home in the low-lying areas.
Still the state wants the dam equipped with a "hard gate" in front of the spillway tunnel, the main spillway deepened and a "fuse plug" spillway constructed. "This would let a 500-year flood go by," Cowley said. A 500-year flood is defined as the worst possible flooding that could occur during a 500-year period. The fuse plug spillway would allow for gravel being washed out instead of the dam.
Some repairs have previously been done on the Otter Creek and Piute Reservoir dams. Water users received an 80 percent grant for the last repair. This was increased to 95 percent this time. The state will absorb that percentage of dam projects when storage capacity won't be increased.
Fishing should also improve at the popular reservoir, which draws many recreationists from the heavily-populated Wasatch Front and other states. So-called "trash" fish, such as chubs and suckers are being removed and restocking of rainbow and cutthroat trout is planned.
An even larger and more expensive project will be forthcoming at the Piute Reservoir. "The state didn't have enough money for that project now so the Otter Creek was approved," Cowley said.
Rehabilitation of the dams is required by law and the Otter Creek project is expected to be completed in December. "It wasn't one of those truly voluntary things," Cowley said. While water users can see some merits to the project, "now we are totally concerned as to whether there will be enough snow to replenish the reservoir for next summer's irrigation season," Cowley said.