Completion Form

2024

Pot Creek is located on Diamond Mountain, flows into Colorado, and then enters the Green River. The creek used to be perennial, but isn't any longer and is instead only used when water is being delivered between the three DWR reservoirs (Matt Warner, Crouse and Calder) or to water rights holders on the mountain. Pot Creek is subject to a large
amount of water loss, costing water users and our fisheries millions of gallons of water each
year due to water infiltration in the dry creek bed. The UDWR has partnered with Trout Unlimited to provide an engineered cost estimate for alternative ways of water conveyance to prevent water loss in the future.

The final report was submitted by Sunrise Engineering at the end of fiscal 2024. Sunrise Engineering was selected as no other firm could commit to the limited timeframe before funding expired. Sunrise Engineering was selected in November 2023, However due to inaccessibility from snowfall, work started in the spring.

After consultations with both TU and UDWR, Sunrise Engineering conducted a site visit
once spring flows declined. They reviewed piping and lining Pot Creek between the two reservoirs as their main options. Alongside their site visit, the piping option was evaluated using expected seasonal flow requirements, elevation data, and wildlife/livestock usage. During discussions, it was expressed that normal functions of the reservoir should not be interfered with and all existing infrastructure should remain in tact and unaltered.
Sunrise Engineering has provided a cost estimate for each option, piping the creek
seems to be the most efficient and would result in the most water savings. It is the more
expensive option, however due to wildlife and potential livestock use, a creek bed liner could be prematurely compromised from animals walking in the creek bed as well as large flooding
events that result in water spilling over the liner capacity.

Trina Hedrick

07/26/2024 08:57:51