Gunnison council working on getting easements for Tarr Canyon pipeline

GUNNISON—At their council meeting Sept. 16, the Gunnison City Council took up acquisition of easements for a pipeline connecting the Tarr Canyon well with water tanks closer to the city.

City manager Dennis Marker reported that the drilling of the well is finished, but the well still has to be tested.

The council approached Sanpete County to get permits to lay the pipeline from the well to the city. The county said they preferred the pipeline being laid through private land instead of under county roads, such as the Farmer’s Freeway, which is paved.

The county’s concerns are that as Gunnison grows, more work may be needed on the pipeline, and that could compromise county roads.

Marker said the city is still negotiating with the county on the issue but is also beginning to negotiate with private farmers to obtain easements.

The city’s timeline is to have all the easements, whether public or private, settled by the end of 2026. Construction of pipeline would begin in 2027.

He acknowledges that farmers may have concerns about the pipeline project creating challenges for them during their spring plantings.

The council also re-appointed Casey Dyreng, branch manager of State Bank in Gunnison, to serve two more years on the Gunnison Valley Hospital board of directors. Dyreng has been serving as the chairman.