The Helper City Council has tabled a request to join the Price River Watershed Commission, citing concerns about what impact the proposed Garley Dam and reservoir might have on the city.
Although the county downstream from the site near the golf course is likely to benefit from additional storage, “there are too many unknowns at this point,” Mayor Lenise Peterman said.
Nevertheless, she said it would be wise for the city to have a seat at the table so the Helper’s interests would be represented.
Among the unknowns are what the costs of a commitment to the commission might be, added Councilman David Dornan.
City Attorney Jeremy Humes also advised that there is no formal interlocal agreement yet among proponents, which include Price City and irrigation companies.
The council voted to appoint Councilwoman Malarie Matsuda as liaison to the Watershed Commission.
The proposed lower elevation dam would impound water in Garley Wash west of the Carbon County Golf Course. It would capture water that now flows unused in winter. Price City owns rights to that water, and has already expressed an interested in trading its rights for shares in Scofield Reservoir water.
Some water in the Price River would be diverted upstream of Helper and transported by pipeline to the new reservoir. An extensive, long-term project to transform the river through Helper into a tourism, recreation and water quality asset has already begun. There’s also some exploratory talk about installing small hydroelectric generation somewhere along the pipeline route from the city springs to town.
There have been no assurances yet that there would be no impact on these projects or other aspects of the city’s current water supply.
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