The water challenges confronting Utah and other western states are severe. The Colorado River and many of its tributaries have been stressed and depleted by both drought and increased demand, leaving states struggling to find ways to stretch limited water. That is why recent federal investments in water-related projects around the state have been so important to Utah’s future.
Ongoing work in the town of Helper shows the impact that long-term, federal funding to create more resilient rivers, streams and wetlands can have. A tributary of the Colorado River, the Price River runs through downtown Helper. On a warm day, you’re likely to find the river filled with tourists and locals kayaking, tubing and fishing along its shore. A decade ago, it was hard to imagine this scene — and the thriving recreation economy that comes with it — was possible.
Helper is an historic rail and mining town. But as those industries faded away, so did the local economy they supported. A little over a decade ago, Helper was practically a ghost town. Work done in recent years to revitalize the Price River has helped drive its rebirth as a tourist destination.
For more than 100 years, the Price River was dammed and rerouted, preventing it from flowing freely and, in some areas, leaving the river completely dry. Near Helper, outdated dams, diversions and debris made it impassable for both people floating downstream or fish swimming upstream.
Over the last decade local, state and federal officials, along with community and environmental groups, have partnered to improve river flows and water quality, support healthy fish habitats and increase community access to the river. This included removing old piling structures, debris, invasive plants and other obstacles from the river. This work culminated in the removal of the Gigliotti Dam last year.
As a result, the Price River now flows freely through Helper and the surrounding area. It’s a destination for boaters and fishers. And it provides a healthy habitat for native Utah fish, including the Colorado River cutthroat trout and bluehead sucker.
A project of this scale can only happen with significant federal and state investments. The restoration of the Price River was possible because of a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funded by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This grant, along with funding from the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation and the Utah Watershed Restoration Initiative, have dramatically improved both the health of the river and the local community.
The Price River is just one of dozens of Utah water projects that have benefited from recent federal investments. The passage of both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act authorized billions of dollars for western states to manage hotter and drier conditions.
Most recently, the Bureau of Reclamation awarded a new round of federal funding grants for western water projects, including up to $4.8 million for the Price River Restoration. This will allow agency partners like the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and ourselves to build upon our previous efforts in the watershed and protect critical habitats and benefit native species such as Colorado River cutthroat trout and greater sage-grouse. In total, 42 conservation projects totaling $388.3 million were awarded across Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming, in addition to various Tribal initiatives.
These funds will restore struggling rivers, streams, forests and wetlands, which in turn will help mitigate the risks from increasingly severe droughts and wildfires and make our state’s water supplies more secure. Further, projects like these also help reduce fire and flood risks to protect people and communities. Lowering natural disaster risk translates to a more stable insurance market and, hopefully, a reduced need for future federal disaster funds.
The revitalization of the Price River is an example of what we can achieve with projects designed to make natural areas more resilient.
With continued federal funding for large-scale, long-term solutions, we can help create a secure water future for the next generation while also safeguarding the incredible natural areas that make Utah unique.
(Lenise Peterman) Lenise Peterman has served as the mayor of Helper since 2018.
Lenise Peterman has served as the mayor of Helper since 2018. Her objective for the city is to create a sustainable community via Helper’s historic, artistic and recreational assets and to bring the community together to reinvent all we can be. River restoration is a key component of these efforts and work is underway on creating a new conceptual plan for future phases of river restoration.
(Jordan Nielson) Jordan Nielson is the Utah State Director of Trout Unlimited.
Jordan Nielson is the Utah State Director of Trout Unlimited. He works on projects that build watershed resilience when he’s not out fishing.
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