A Utah Senate committee on Wednesday pulled the plug on a bill that would have jump-started a long-discussed dam and reservoir project in northern Sanpete County while creating a new state park. The move stalled what supporters cast as a long-overdue fix for idle water rights and left county leaders and conservation groups as divided as ever.
Bill Briefed And Voted Down
Senate Bill 209, sponsored by Sen. Derrin Owens (R-Fountain Green), set out to launch construction of a dam on Gooseberry Creek, build a new reservoir, and officially christen the surrounding land Gooseberry Narrows State Park. Backers, including representatives of the Sanpete County Water Conservancy District, argued the plan would finally put long-dormant Sanpete water rights to work. Opponents countered that the "state park" label dressed up what was really a water-storage project that would redirect existing flows away from downstream Carbon County and send the bill to taxpayers across Utah.
The Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Committee rejected the measure on Wednesday, with only Owens voting in favor and several members absent, leaving SB 209 stuck in committee, according tothe Utah Legislature.
History And Local Stakes
The Gooseberry Narrows concept has been hanging around Utah politics for decades, resurfacing in various forms as local water managers search for storage and irrigation options. KUER reports that the dispute stretches back through much of the 20th century.
The site already includes Gooseberry Reservoir, and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources lists "Gooseberry Res" in its fish-stocking records. Anglers and conservation groups have leaned on that existing fishery as one reason to be wary of reshaping the area. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources shows the reservoir in its current stocking log.
What Comes Next
With the committee vote, SB 209 is off the calendar for now. Supporters could come back with revisions or try a different route through the Legislature, while opponents say they will keep spotlighting downstream impacts and the potential hit to statewide taxpayers.
Earlier fights over Narrows-style proposals have repeatedly pitted Sanpete County leaders, who say they are simply trying to use an existing water right, against Carbon County officials and conservation advocates, a dynamic detailed by The Salt Lake Tribune. For now, the latest round of that long-running feud is on hold, but no one is pretending it is over.
