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Trustees flag fisheries, habitat and recreation concerns over proposed Seminoe pump project
Summary
Trustees raised objections and urged public comment on a federal Seminoe pump proposal that would move large volumes of water on a 12-hour cycle, warning of effects on fisheries, ice-dependent wildlife movement and recreation access.
Trustees at a Board of Trustees meeting raised concerns about a proposed Seminoe pump project that would develop an upper reservoir and move tens of thousands of acre‑feet of water on short cycles, and urged members to attend a related travel committee meeting on May 28 to register public comment.
The board discussed a technical description presented during the meeting: project plans reported to the trustees describe pumping roughly 10,000–12,000 acre‑feet every 12 hours (equating to large daily turnover) with an intake positioned about 150 feet below the reservoir surface. Trustees said that level of regular turnover would likely prevent thermal stratification in Seminoe, with cascading effects on fisheries downstream in Miracle Mile, Pathfinder and beyond and on winter-ice routes used by bighorn sheep and other wildlife.
Trustees stressed recreational and infrastructure impacts, noting that Pathfinder reservoir levels are already depressed (the Bureau of Reclamation reservoir forecast on the county website was cited as showing a significant summer drawdown) and that an intensified pumping regime could make boating and dock operations more difficult. They also raised concerns about proposed transmission lines crossing sage‑grouse habitat and the possibility that generated power could be sold out of state rather than used locally.
Board members recommended attending the May 28 committee meeting to provide public comment and suggested coordinating with state legislators and other stakeholders. No formal letter of support or opposition was recorded at this meeting; trustees advised waiting for the committee public‑comment period to record formal positions.
Next steps: the Seminoe pump topic is on the travel and wildlife committee agenda beginning the morning of May 28; trustees encouraged attendance and said they would consider follow-up comments or formal correspondence after hearing more technical details.
