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Officials report progress on Jackson Flat/Cove reservoir EIS and seek federal funding
Summary
Committee heard that Jackson Flat reservoir is about 90% full, cooperating-agency EIS review is underway with a draft public release planned and an October target for final steps; county leaders said roughly $9–10 million in state matching funds exist and they are seeking about $30 million from federal sources.
County officials updated the Resource Development Committee on the Jackson Flat (Cove) reservoir project and its environmental-review and funding timeline.
Mike Noel (S3) reported that the reservoir is approximately 90% full and that the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) has been circulated to cooperating agencies for review. He said the next step is national-office review of plans and documents before the draft public release, and projected that the process could finish in October with construction work next year if funding is secured. "So we're looking at October to finish this thing, and go to work next year hopefully," he said.
Noel noted the county had run out of some NRCS funds and that Washington and Kane counties have had to cover portions of costs. On financing, the speaker said the county has "10,000,000 or 9,000,000 from the legislature" as a matching portion and is seeking "about 30,000,000 from the feds." The speaker characterized those federal funds as substantial but necessary for the project.
Noel also described legal and water-right stakes for the region, saying that water rights in parts of the East Fork carry substantial per-acre-foot value: "Every acre foot of that water that's in the East Fork has a value in Washington County of around $40,000 an acre foot," he said, and argued that the reservoir will help protect those rights. Staff told the committee the project has proceeded through lengthy planning and consultant review and that two NRCS consulting engineers are assisting with final plan review.
What’s next: county staff will continue NRCS coordination, finalize EIS steps, and pursue federal funding. Committee members were asked to assist with outreach to senators and other contacts to support funding efforts.
