OCR Text |
Show Brief History of the Central Utah Project a. General The Central Utah Project consists of six proposed units as shown in Figure A- 3. Four of these units- Vernal, Jensen, Upalco, and Bonneville- constitute the initial phase. The ultimate phase is composed of the Uintah Unit and the much larger Ute Indian Unit. The Vernal, Jensen, and Upalco Units of the initial phase would all be located in the Uinta Basin. The Bonneville Unit involves the diversion of water from the Uinta Basin to the Bonneville Basin and associated developments in each basin. Work on the Vernal Unit has been completed, except for project drains which are under construction and partially completed. An environmental review of the Vernal Unit drains dated March 12, 1971, was prepared and circulated to interested cooperating agencies. On the basis of the review, it was concluded that this work did not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the environment; therefore, an environmental statement for the drains would not be required. The environmental review is available for inspection at Bureau of Reclamation offices in Proyo and Salt Lake City, Utah. Other units of the initial phase of the Central Utah Project have all been authorized. Construction funds have been scheduled to begin preliminary construction work on the Jensen Unit during 1975. Advance planning studies are continuing on the Upalco Unit, with proposed construction awaiting funding by Congress. The Uintah Unit of the ultimate phase would also be located in the Uinta Basin. This Unit has been conditionally authorized, pending completion of a feasibility study. Feasibility studies are in progress on the Ute Indian Unit, which would be essentially an enlargement and expansion of the Bonneville Unit, in that the area of the Bonneville Unit would be covered by the Ute Indian Unit. It would include an additional transbasin diversion from the Uinta Basin to the Bonneville Basin, with a lower elevation replacement of most of this water from the Green River. Environmental statements will be prepared on these units as planning proceeds. b. History of Investigations and Construction Investigation work on the Central Utah Project began soon after the turn of the century under the Reclamation Act of 1902. The Strawberry Valley Project, with Strawberry Reservoir as its key feature, was a forerunner of a larger central Utah development 16 |