N E W S R E L E A S E
News Release: Immediate
For more information contact:
Contact: Brian Tenney
Telephone: 435 674 2846
brian@tcscreative.com
Kane County Water Conservancy District Announces
Jackson Flat Reservoir Groundbreaking Ceremony
Governor Gary Herbert and Senator Robert Bennett featured Guest Speakers
Kanab, UT, April 9, 2010 — Like all of communities in Southern Utah, Kane County and particularly the county seat of Kanab has struggled from its founding in 1864 to maintain a reliable water supply to its citizens. Not until the late 1960’s when wells were tapped into the huge Navajo Sandstone aquifer, did culinary water become more available and secure. However, reliable irrigation and secondary water for gardens, parks, schools and irrigation surface water, and the means to utilize the spring runoff and fluctuating flows of the Kanab Creek has been an elusive dream. That dream will now finally become a reality on April 16th, at 4 PM, as the Kane County Water Conservancy District announces a groundbreaking and the beginning of construction of the 4228 Acre Foot Jackson Flat Reservoir. Under the direction of the Board of Trustees of the District, the project was placed on the master plan in 1996 as one of its major long-term goals; to establish a storage reservoir to capture the flows of the Kanab Creek enabling a more reliable use of the water in the growing season. The water rights on the creek, which are owned as shares (5000 total) by farmers, the Kane County Water Conservancy District, the Kane County School District, and hundreds of citizens in the community, will be partially stored in the off stream reservoir during the winter and early spring run-off period, allowing for a more efficient use of the water during the critical summer months.
A cooperative effort by the Kanab Irrigation Company, the Kane County Water Conservancy District, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Utah Department of Water Resources, the Utah Institutional Trust Lands, Utah Division of Water Rights, Utah Division of Dam Safety, Kane County Commission, Kanab City, and elected officials, including Senator Robert Bennett, was critical in being able to bring the project to the construction phase. The majority of the land (approximately 400 acres) needed for the reservoir was purchased from the Elmer and Leah Jackson family, while other critical smaller parcels were purchased from adjacent landowners through cooperative sales and exchanges of properties and easements. Alpha Engineering, under the direction of Brent Gardner and RBR Engineering under the direction of Brad Price, completed all of the detailed surface and underground investigations and the final design plans and specifications for the dam. Dave Marble of Utah Dam safety and the Army Corps of Engineers conducted full review of the plans and specifications. The Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento Office conducted a detailed environmental assessment of the project over a 5-year period with support from JBR Environmental.
Extensive archaeological sites discovered in the area of the dam have been excavated and mitigated with cooperation of the Kaibab Indian Tribe, the Utah Division of Indian Affairs, and the work of three archaeological consultants, HRA Archaeology, BYU Archaeology Department, and Big Horn Archaeology. All of the archeology work was done under the direction and management of SITLA lead archaeologist Kenny Wintch, with cooperation of Richard Perry from the Army Corps. Work is now in progress to determine the type of recreational activities that will be considered for the lake and the surrounding land. Mike Noel, General Manager for the Water District would like to see the area used by Kane County Citizens and visitors alike. “With the help of Utah State University Department of Recreation, we have a preliminary recreational plan for the site. The Board of Directors will be working with Kanab City Officials, the Parks and Recreation Board and interested parties, to develop a suitable recreational use plan for the 400 acre site,” announced Noel.
The highlights of the ground breaking will include an Open House with a light meal served, a meet and greet, and an overview of project from 4:00 to 4:45 p.m. attended by special guests, Utah Senator, Bob Bennett and Utah Governor, Gary R. Herbert. The Groundbreaking Ceremony will take place from 4:45 to 5:15 p.m. The Open House and groundbreaking ceremony are located at the Jackson Ranch House (2151 South Hwy 89 A) across from the Kanab Airport, Kanab, Utah. Signs will be posted along the way pointing the direction to the Ranch House. Refreshments will be served, please RSVP your intent to attend to Donna Ray at the Kane County Water Conservancy District offices, 435-644-3997.
The public is invited to attend. Please join us to learn more about this exciting project. For more information contact KCWCD, 190 West Center Street, Suite 200, Kanab, Utah, 84741, or call (435) 644-3997, or visit www.kcwcd.com.
Time: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM Open House (Light meal served, meet and greet, overview of project)
4:45 PM – 5:15 PM - Groundbreaking Ceremony
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Project Need:
Kanab Creek is the major source of water supply for irrigators in Kanab, Utah. However, flows in the Creek have not coincided with the irrigation season. During the dry summer months there has not been an adequate water supply. The irrigation company spent considerable funds in the early 1980’s to pipe the open canal system to reduce evaporation and seepage losses. However, Kanab Creek has highly variable flows ranging from average flows of 10 to 24 cubic feet per second (cfs) during the winter months to average flows as low as 6 cfs in the summer.
Over the last several years the Kane County Water Conservancy District, working in conjunction with the irrigators, have been trying to find an economically viable method to store high flows during the winter months so they can be available to provide a full water supply during the irrigation season. The Jackson Flat Water Supply Storage Facility has been the culmination of this effort. The existing irrigation piping network has been used to gravity flow water during the winter months to the Storage Facility. This water is then available during the irrigation season to provide a full water supply.
Description of Project:
Alpha/RB&G Engineering completed a feasibility report for the Jackson Flat Water Supply Storage Facility project in November of 2003. This report identified the project was viable in the location known as Jackson Flat and the Kane County Water Conservancy District proceeded to work to obtain the property and funding for the reservoir. The District was successful in obtaining partial funding for the project through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 595 program. As a condition of the funding, the next phase of the project was to complete an environmental analysis. The environmental work started in 2004 and was finally completed and approved in 2009. The Alpha/RB&G design team worked on the design as necessary to support the environmental work and completed design in November of 2009. The project was advertised and contractor prequalification was completed in February. Bids were received in March. The successful low bidder was Legacy Construction and Development from Mesquite, Nevada.
The Jackson Flat Water Supply Storage Facility has the following major elements:
Ø Reservoir Surface Area: 232 acres
Ø Reservoir Capacity: 4,228 acre-feet
Ø Maximum Height of Dam: 45 feet
Ø Length of Dam: 4,430 feet
Ø Pump Station - 14 cfs capacity
Ø 24-inch Supply Pipeline
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