American Rivers, along with the Utah Rivers Council, ranked the Price at No. 9 in its annual list of most endangered rivers, identifying what the groups say are rivers with the most perilous futures.
The Price River made the list because of plans to build a dam at its headwaters, according to the report. The Bureau of Reclamation is reviewing an application by the Sanpete Water Conservancy District to build a dam on Gooseberry Creek, a major tributary of the Price River.
A 17,000-acre reservoir would be built, with a third of its water to be piped across the Wasatch Plateau to Sanpete County farmers and ranchers.
The dam proposal has sparked a long-running dispute over water rights between Sanpete and Carbon counties. Carbon County strongly opposes the dam.
According to the report, damming the Gooseberry would put valuable upstream habitat under water and deplete downstream habitat.
In addition, about 100 acres of wetlands would be lost under the reservoir.
"Nobody has too much money or too much clean water," Rebecca Wodder, president of American Rivers, said in a statement. "The Gooseberry Narrows Dam would waste both to grow more alfalfa in the desert."
Merritt Frey, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council, argues that the dam and reservoir are unnecessary. Most of the 5,400 acre-feet of water the reservoir would produce annually, she says, could be delivered via alternative methods - such as lining existing irrigation ditches.
"What we propose is to increase the efficiency of the existing water system, which should easily deliver the 5,400 acre-feet, if not more, at lower cost," Frey said.
Kerry Schwartz, manager of the water and environmental resources division for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, says he has not seen the study.
He acknowledges that the issues on the Price are complex and long-standing, but is skeptical about what the Utah Rivers Council, and others, have proposed.
"What I would say is we have yet to see another alternative come forth from the Carbon County side," Schwartz said.
"There's been a lot of discussion, and we've appreciated the input as we've proceeded with the Sanpete application. But it is a long process and a lot of issues with a lot of history behind them."
Schwartz says he is unsure when the bureau will render a final decision on the application.
jbaird@sltrib.com
Endangered Rivers
American Rivers, an environmental group, has named its Top 10 endangered rivers in the United States.
1. Susquehanna River (N.Y., Pa., Md.)
2. McCrystal Creek (N.M.)
3. Fraser River (Colo.)
4. Skykomish River (Wash.)
5. Roan Creek (Tenn.)
6. Santee River (S.C.)
7. Little Miami River (Ohio)
8. Tuolumne River (Calif.)
9. Price River (Utah)
10. Santa Clara River
(Calif.)
