By now community members have heard that repairs to Steinaker dam paired with earthquake reinforcement measures means the reservoir will be eventually drained. In September of 2014, a crack was observed in the dam. While it has been taken seriously, the Bureau of Reclamation stated from the beginning that the dam was never in danger of failing but that repair work would eventually need to be done. The Environmental Assessment performed to determine the possible environmental impacts of the repair project has now been completed and a public meeting will be held tonight to review the findings, discuss the timeline associated with construction, and provide another opportunity to accept public input. The Environmental Assessment was completed by the Bureau of Reclamation in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA). According to the Bureau of Reclamation, the Environmental Assessment shows a Finding of No Significant Impact. Those interested in details of the finding and the timeline for the upcoming repairs to Steinaker Dam are invited to a public meeting tonight, Wednesday, May 24th, at the Uintah Conference Center from 6:00 to 8:00pm.
