This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Less than three weeks after suspending water storage at Steinaker Reservoir due to safety concerns, federal Bureau of Reclamation engineers have cleared the way to resume refilling the eastern Utah dam.
Water accumulation at the 162-foot-high earthen structure, located 3.5 miles north of Vernal, were suspended on Sept. 24 after the dam's riprap facing showed signs of sloughing. While the dam was not considered in danger of failing, engineers wanted to be sure and needed time to take an extended, closer look.
BOR spokesman Matthew Allen confirmed Thursday that engineers had given their blessings to resume operations as of Oct. 10.
However, the Uintah Water Conservancy District's resumption of filling the reservoir is being limited to about 2 1/2 inches per day, as a precaution. Further, the district will closely monitor the dam, inspecting it at least thrice-weekly.
The nearly 2,000-foot wide dam, designed to hold nearly 1.9 million cubic yards of water, has a surface area of 820 acres when full, according to BOR. It stores flows from Ashley Creek, creating a reservoir for water recreation and fishing enthusiasts.
The dam is part of the Vernal Unit of the Central Utah Project.
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