Uinta Basin Replacement Project facts for kids

The Uinta Basin Replacement Project (UBRP) is a big project in Utah. The United States Congress approved it to replace parts of the Central Utah Project (CUP) that were never built. The main goal of the UBRP is to provide water for farms and cities. It also helps protect nature and improve places for fun activities.

The project gives about 2,500 acre-feet of water for farming. It also provides 3,000 acre-feet of water for cities and businesses. An acre-foot is how much water covers one acre of land to a depth of one foot. That's a lot of water!

The UBRP also helps nature by reducing harm to wild areas. It increases the amount of water flowing in rivers. This helps fish and other wildlife. It also makes outdoor recreation better.

Work on the project started in 2002. Building began in 2004 and was expected to finish in 2011. The Central Utah Water Conservancy District is in charge of building it. The U.S. Department of the Interior makes sure the project follows laws and environmental rules.

About the Uinta Basin Area

The Uinta Mountains are special because they are the only major mountain range in North America that runs from east to west. South of these mountains is the Uinta Basin. Many rivers and creeks flow from the mountains into the basin.

Some main rivers, like the Strawberry River and Uinta River, flow into the Duchesne River. The Duchesne River then flows into the Green River. The Green River is a major branch of the Colorado River.

Who Lives in the Uinta Basin?

The Uinta Basin is home to the Ute Tribe on the Uinta and Ouray Reservation. This group is often called the Northern Ute Tribe. There are also cities like Duchesne, Roosevelt, and Vernal.

What is the Economy Like?

When oil prices are high, the oil industry in the basin becomes very busy. But usually, farming is the most important part of the economy. Raising cattle is a big part of this. For farming to work in the basin, irrigation (bringing water to crops) is very important.

Much of the Uinta Mountains is protected as wilderness. The mountains and their rivers are very important for nature. They are home to many plants and animals.

Water Use in the Uinta Basin

Many groups need water from the Uinta Basin. These include farmers, the Ute Tribe, cities, and the oil industry. The natural environment also needs water to stay healthy. All water projects in the basin aim to help one or more of these groups.

The UBRP is connected to other water projects in the basin. Here are some important steps in how water has been developed:

• The Northern Ute Reservation: This reservation was created in 1861. The Ute Tribe has water rights from this time. They are still working to fully claim all their water rights. For over 40 years, the Tribe, the State of Utah, and the U.S. government have been talking about a water rights agreement.
• Early Farming and Water Projects: In 1905, the reservation was opened for non-Native American settlers. In the early 1900s, both Native American and non-Native American irrigation systems were built. This included building the High Mountain Lakes.
• The Uinta Indian Irrigation Project: This is the main irrigation project for Native Americans in the basin. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) built it. By 1935, it watered over 77,000 acres of Native American land. Today, it still helps farmers and is owned by the BIA.
• The Moon Lake Project: In the 1930s, the Bureau of Reclamation built the Moon Lake Project. It is on the Lake Fork River. A local group now runs and maintains this project. They will also run the larger Big Sand Wash Dam and Reservoir.
• The Central Utah Project: In 1956, Congress created the Colorado River Storage Project. This project included the CUP. The CUP planned to move water from the Uinta Basin to the Wasatch Front. This is the most populated area of Utah, including Provo and Salt Lake City.

The CUP was supposed to build the Uinta and Upalco Units. These units would have stored new water in the Uinta Basin. But for different reasons, these units were never built.

The UBRP was approved to provide similar benefits to the units that were not built. The first plan for the UBRP was to help both Native American and non-Native American groups. But the Ute Tribe later decided not to support the plan. This meant the project had to be changed. A smaller version was then developed. This new plan avoided interfering with the Tribe's water rights, land, and interests.

The Central Utah Water Conservancy District is the group responsible for the UBRP. They also handle the money for the project.

Project Stages and Facilities

Each step in the Uinta Basin's water development brought new water facilities. Each step helped different groups and water rights. This has created a complex mix of money interests, water rights, land ownership, and politics.

The Lake Fork River shows how complex this can be. The river starts in the High Uintas Wilderness area. It feeds thirteen small lakes high in the mountains, which are now reservoirs. It then provides water for the Tribe's early water rights. It also feeds the Moon Lake Project, which helps non-Native American farmers.

Because the UBRP uses water from the Lake Fork River, adding it to this already complex system was hard.

UBRP Goals

A study for the UBRP was published in 2001. The UBRP is meant to replace parts of the Uinta and Upalco Units. Its goals are:

• To make the thirteen High Mountain Lakes safer and more stable. This will also help nature in the High Uintas Wilderness.
• To provide replacement water for farming that was stored in the High Mountain Lakes.
• To give 3,000 acre-feet of water each year to Roosevelt City for homes and businesses.
• To give 2,500 acre-feet of water each year to farmers along the Lake Fork River.
• To improve how water is managed and saved in the Uinta Basin. This means using water more wisely and storing it better.
• To improve the environment, fish, wildlife, and recreation areas.

UBRP Facilities

The project will build or improve the following facilities to reach its goals:

• High Mountain Lakes: The thirteen High Mountain Lakes will be made stable. This means they will return to their natural water levels. Water flows from these lakes will go back to natural patterns. This will help fish and recreation in the lakes. It will also reduce the impact of operating these lakes on the wilderness.
• Big Sand Wash Diversion and Feeder Pipeline: This part of the project is finished. The Diversion takes water from the Lake Fork River. The Feeder Pipeline then carries this water to the Big Sand Wash Reservoir. This reservoir is being made bigger as part of the project.
• Enlarged Big Sand Wash Reservoir: The Big Sand Wash Reservoir is being made larger. This is done by raising the height of the dam and other structures. The bigger reservoir will store more water. This water used to be stored in the High Mountain Lakes. This change also means more water will flow in parts of the Lake Fork River and the Yellowstone River. The water in the enlarged reservoir will be used for farming and for cities.
• Big Sand Wash – Roosevelt Pipeline: This pipeline will deliver water from the project to Roosevelt, Utah. It will also bring water to the lower parts of the Lake Fork farming areas.