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County, state staff weigh repairs to Spinners and Henningsen reservoirs; Spinners holds 750 acre-feet
Summary
Officials reviewed options to restore storage at Spinners (about 750 acre-feet) and Henningsen (about 450 acre-feet), discussed sinkhole and limestone leakage at Henningsen and possible canal repairs and cost trade-offs versus a new reservoir.
County and state staff discussed potential fixes and trade-offs for two local reservoirs — Spinners and Henningsen — as part of broader planning to support Emery town's water needs.
A staff member summarized storage: "Spinners is designed to hold 750 acre feet. Henningsen, 450." Participants reviewed LIDAR imagery that suggests historic canals once fed Spinners and discussed reestablishing short canal sections to restore inflow and whether removing a mid-lake hump could let water reach the outlet. The state engineer previously condemned Henningsen because it sits on soluble limestone and leaked in multiple locations.
Commissioners and staff described cost and permitting challenges for building a new reservoir versus repairing existing infrastructure, noted NEPA timelines that can cause projects to restart if not advanced, and discussed whether available grant funding could be applied to lining or partial repairs. No final funding decision was made; staff said they would pursue feasibility assessments and give the council estimates for repair versus replacement.
