Central Utah Project: Jensen Unit

摘要

The Central Utah Project (CUP) is the largest and most complicated water development ever undertaken in the State of Utah. The Bureau of Reclamation planned for the CUPs Vernal and Jensen Units to benefit Uintah County. Both of these units are relatively simple, a single multipurpose reservoir behind a moderate sized dam with associated conveyance facilities and project drainage. But, while the projects serve the same area and are similar in scope and function, their history is as different as night and day. Constructed early in the history of the CUP, progress on the Vernal Unit proceeded quickly after the CUPs authorization. While not without its problems, construction and operation of the Vernal Unit also proceeded relatively smoothly. Unlike the Vernal Unit, the Jensen Unit, constructed only a few miles away, has a more colorful history. The project was beleaguered with delays, experienced numerous construction problems and challenges, serious accidents, and a hefty dose of political controversy.