Gooseberry Narrows study bill passes, giving project new hope

SALT LAKE CITY — After nearly a century of legal gridlock and federal red tape, the Utah Legislature has revived the Gooseberry Narrows project by authorizing a study intended to determine whether the reservoir in Sanpete County can move forward.

In the final week of the session, lawmakers approved a substituted version of Senate Bill 209. Rather than committing state funds to immediate construction, the legislation directs the state to conduct an eight-month feasibility and environmental evaluation of the project.

“It was an honor to sponsor and shepherd Senate Bill 209 through the 2026 legislative session and witness a rare win for Sanpete County in this nine-decades-long debate over the Gooseberry Narrows dam and reservoir,” Sen. Derrin Owens, R-Fountain Green, said in a statement. “SB209 boils down to an eight-month study to answer the question about whether this location is viable to become a new state park.”

Owens said the legislation anticipates the possibility of adding a state park at the Gooseberry Narrows site, along with the potential for a reservoir that could provide recreation as well as store water that could be sent to populated areas of Sanpete County.

The bill’s path through the Legislature required several adjustments. An earlier version included roughly $65 million for construction of the dam and reservoir, but that proposal stalled in committee during a tight budget year. Owens later introduced a substitute bill that narrowed the scope to a study and reduced the immediate fiscal impact to about $10,000.

Owens also criticized opponents of the project during the legislative debate.

“It was disappointing to listen to the misinformation, fear mongering and lies around what could be a win-win for Carbon and Sanpete counties,” he said.

The Senate passed the bill on third reading Feb. 24 by a 21-3 vote. The House later approved the measure during the final week of the session.

Owens credits fellow legislator, Rep. Troy Shelley for moving the bill along in the late stages. Shelley was the floor sponsor who presented the bill to the House of Representatives. In the House, the vote was 69-3, with three absent.

Under the legislation, the Utah Division of State Parks will lead the evaluation. The study must address longstanding concerns raised by downstream water users in Carbon County.

An amendment introduced by Rep. Christine Watkins, R-Price, requires the study to examine how a potential reservoir at Gooseberry Narrows could affect water quality and storage capacity at Scofield Reservoir. The analysis must also consider the project’s impact on Utah’s obligations within the Colorado River system.

State Parks officials expect to complete the report using existing staff resources, estimating costs between $5,000 and $10,000. The agency must deliver its findings to lawmakers by Nov. 30, 2026.

The report will affect whether the Legislature moves forward with construction funding or the designation of Gooseberry Narrows as a future state park during the 2027 legislative session.