These days, the Bureau of Reclamation is not so much in the business of building dams as it is repairing them.
The bureau has already made repairs on eight dams, and in July 2001 Pineview Reservoir 10 miles east of Ogden will undergo $21 million in renovations to make it able to withstand an earthquake. Deer Creek Reservoir above Provo is also in need of repair.
"Reclamation's mission is not what it used to be," said Bruce Barrett, area manager for the bureau, which manages 61 dams in Utah, southwestern Wyoming and parts of Idaho and Nevada. At this point, the focus is on overseeing its operation and maintenance of its facilities, he added.
On Thursday, the bureau hosted a tour of Pineview, Jordanelle and Deer Creek reservoirs for water officials, congressional staffers and the news media. And the agency once maligned for its build-at-any-cost philosophy was singing a new tune that included water conservation, dam safety and recreation.
Recreation was a major factor in the developments around Jordanelle Reservoir. And as Utah's population continues to grow, there will be increased demand for water activities.
"The benefits from recreation alone justify the costs to upgrade (Pineview)," Barrett said.
At Pineview, the bureau plans to repair the spillway, strengthen the foundation and work on cracks using a high-tech grout. It will modify the earthfill dam to enable it to withstand earthquakes. Tests have shown that a major earthquake could partially liquefy the foundation of the dam, destabilizing and perhaps sweeping away the base, Barrett said.
Without the repairs, the bureau would have to lower the water level, and that would mean boaters would probably not go there. Pineview, which holds about 110,000 acre-feet of water, also provides irrigation and household water to Davis and Weber counties, and local water customers will be footing 15 percent of the repair bills.
Drought has lowered all Utah reservoirs (Echo Reservoir is down by about 90 percent), but officials hope for a wet winter. "We're really in good shape," said Terrell Grimley, general manager of Ogden River Water Users Association.
Officials were so wary of the drought they encouraged conservation measures. In the end, not all customers used all of the water they were entitled to.
But there is still a long way to go, said Joe Whittaker, a hydrologist with the bureau. He said that an average lunch for one person uses up about 1,400 gallons of water, the amount needed to grow and process the food. A dinner uses up to 2,800 gallons.
The bureau has entered into partnerships with local water districts to encourage conservation.
E-MAIL: donna@desnews.com