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| April 10th, 2008 |
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Media Contact(s): Mark Eddington or Jared Whitley, (202) 224-5251 |
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Printable Version |
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SENATE GREENLIGHTS HATCH BILL TO ENLARGE WATKINS DAM IN WEBER COUNTY
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Washington – The U.S. Senate today passed legislation to expand the water capacity of Weber’s Arthur V. Watkins Dam. Sponsored by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), the legislation, included in the Public Lands bill (S. 2730), would give the Bureau of Reclamation access to the dam to study it and make adjustments as necessary to cater to the ever-growing water needs of Utah citizens.
“It would be lamentable for the residents of Weber if we ignore their need for expanded water resources,” Hatch said. “Thousands depend on Weber Basin’s water for drinking, agriculture, and other purposes. Boosting the dam’s size is a simple and inexpensive way to boost water storage capacity in an area that urgently needs it.”
The Arthur V. Watkins Dam Enlargement Act of 2007 authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to conduct a feasibility study on raising the height of the Watkins Dam in Weber County, Utah. Watkins is a 14.5 mile-long earthfill dam enclosing Willard Bay Reservoir, which has a storage capacity of roughly 215,000 acre-feet of water. It is estimated that raising the dam by 5 to 10 feet would increase the reservoir’s storage capacity by 50,000 to 70,000 acre-feet. Moreover, the Watkins Dam began to leak slightly in 2006.
“If the dam breached, the flood would ruin hundreds of acres of farm and grazing land,” Hatch said. “This legislation would provide the resources and opportunity to stave off that looming threat while helping Weber residents the water they will need for the future.”
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