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Lower Bear River Watershed (Sponsor = Bear River Water Conservancy District)

Project proposal seeks to partially fund watershed protection measures through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act. 

Public Notice of Availability

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), in coordination with Bear River Water Conservancy District and Bear River Canal Company, announce the availability of the Draft Watershed Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Plan-EIS) for a multi-purpose project (Project) in Box Elder County, Utah. This Project is partially funded through the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (Public Law [PL] 83-566). 

Project Description

The primary purposes for watershed planning and preparation of the EIS are to:

  • Improve agricultural water management by addressing deficiencies in the agricultural water delivery system, improve reliability and efficiency, and develop secondary water systems for growing communities with limited water resources needed for sustainability and reliability within the watershed.
  • Protect the watershed to reduce flooding, erosion, sediment, and agriculture-related pollution, and maintain and enhance wetlands and wildlife habitat.

The Preferred Alternative in the Draft Watershed Plan-EIS includes the following:

  • Bear River Canal Company Irrigation System Delivery Improvements
  • Red Siphon Installation 
  • Bear River City Pressure Irrigation and Storage 
  • Highland Ditch Piping 
  • Central Canal Company Piping 
  • Bear River Club Levee Improvements 
  • Tremonton Pressure Irrigation Improvements and Storage 
  • Chesapeake Duck Club Levee Improvements 
  • Salt Creek Waterfowl Management Area Levee Improvements and Sediment Basin

NEPA Analysis

NRCS, as the lead federal agency, has prepared a Draft Plan-EIS that analyzes potential impacts to the natural and human environment from this Project. The Draft Plan-EIS also integrates analysis following the Principles, Requirements and Guidelines for Water and Land Related Resources Implementation Studies and Federal Water Resource Investments (PR&G, 2018). The Draft Plan-EIS has been reviewed by NRCS-Utah, the National Water Management Center, and NRCS-National Headquarters. 

Current Status

NRCS is accepting comments on the Draft Watershed Plan-EIS between March 6, 2026 and April 20, 2026. A public meeting for the Project will be held on March 26, 2026. See the Notice of Availability (NOA) under Project Documents below for more information and to download the Draft Plan-EIS documents.

Public Comment Period for Draft Plan-EIS

Date:    Thursday, March 26, 2026
Time:    5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.
Location: Box Elder County Fairgrounds, Museum Building
320 North 1000 West, Tremonton, Utah 84337

How to Submit a Comment:

Comments must be received by April 20, 2026. Comments may be submitted by mail to:

Lower Bear River Watershed Draft Plan‑EIS
Attn: The Langdon Group
466 N. 900 W.
Kaysville, UT 84037

or by email to lowerbear@utwatershed.com (please include “Lower Bear River Draft Plan‑EIS Comment” in the subject line).

NRCS will use the NEPA public participation process to satisfy the public involvement requirements under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) (54 U.S.C. § 306108) and pursuant to 36 C F R 800.2(d)(3). The information about cultural resources within the area potential effect for this undertaking will assist the NRCS in identifying and evaluating effects/impacts to such resources in the context of both NEPA and Section 106 of the NHPA.

Project Documents

 

Contact Information

Derek Hamilton—USDA-NRCS

125 S. State Street, Room 6416

Salt Lake City, UT 84138-1100

Phone: 801 524-4560

Email: derek.hamilton@usda.gov