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$100 million Deer Creek intake rehabilitation underway; association secures roughly $97 million and commits water toward Great Salt Lake recovery
Summary
Provo River Water Users Association presented progress on the Deer Creek Intake Project — a three‑year, roughly $100 million rehabilitation that installs a bypass intake and 72‑inch tunneled pipeline to enable intake repair without draining the reservoir. The association reported $97 million in secured financing (private bond, Board of Water
The Provo River Water Users Association briefed the Legislative Water Development Commission on Oct. 14 about the Deer Creek Intake Project, a multi‑year rehabilitation of the reservoir’s intake and outlet works intended to preserve a critical outlet that serves much of the Wasatch Front.
Jeff Budge, general manager for the association, said the project installs a separate bypass intake and a new 72‑inch bypass pipeline tunneled through the dam’s left abutment so crews can rehabilitate the existing intake and guard gates while the reservoir remains in service. Budge said the work is being performed “in the wet” so there have been no interruptions to supply or power production; the project began construction in May 2023 and is scheduled to finish in early 2026.
Budge outlined financing: a $7 million private placement bond for early design, roughly $69 million in low‑interest Board of Water Resources loans and a $4 million legislative appropriation. Budge said the association has secured $97 million toward the project’s estimated $100 million cost and expects shareholders to execute contracts obligating them to provide up to 35,000 acre‑feet of water over 15 years to support Great Salt Lake recovery as the contractual repayment for the legislative appropriation.
Budge also described federal funding and classification issues. The association sought Drinking Water State Revolving Fund support but the Environmental Protection Agency initially classified the project as a reclamation/dam rehabilitation of a Bureau of Reclamation asset and declined certain drinking‑water program funding; state drinking water staff later judged the project eligible under a separate clause and supported partial funding. Budge said the association is continuing to finalize shareholder contracts and change applications needed to convert some water rights for the Great Salt Lake obligation.
Commission members praised the presentation and the project video and asked about construction details, hydrologic obligations and title transfer. Budge said Reclamation retains title to the dam, the association had title or control of some delivery works and is pursuing remaining approvals. No formal action was taken; staff and members thanked the association for the update.
