About the Central Utah Project Completion Act Office

The Central Utah Project Completion Act Office:

The Central Utah Project Completion Act Office  (CUPCAO ) in Provo, Utah, was created in 1993 to oversee completion of the Central Utah Project (CUP). Staffed by a small team of professionals, the office provides important liaison between the Department of the Interior, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD), the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission (URMCC), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), and other key federal and state agencies involved with completion of the CUP.

The CUPCAO prepares and submits the annual CUP budget requests and tracks expenditures; reviews and approves construction plans and specifications; and determines the ultimate policies regarding the myriad of water resource matters associated with progress on the CUP.  Operation and maintenance of the completed project and the marketing of water developed by the project are also under the purview of the CUPCAO.  Of particular importance, the CUPCAO ensures compliance with all applicable federal environmental laws and regulations such as the Endangered Species Act, Historic Preservation Act and Clean Water Act.  

The Central Utah Project Completion Act (CUPCA) (P.L. 102-575) enacted on October 30, 1992, transferred all responsibility and authority to complete the construction of the CUP to the CUWCD. In addition, it established the Utah Reclamation Mitigation Conservation Commission (URMCC) to coordinate mitigation and conservation activities for the project. The Department of the Interior retained oversight responsibility and ultimate authority to ensure completion and future operation of the project in accordance with federal laws, regulations, and policies.

In addition, the CUPCA outlined many new authorities that go beyond construction of the CUP itself, that are the responsibility of the CUPCAO to direct and oversee. These include planning and implementation of water conservation measures and projects within Utah; settlement of long-standing water rights issues with the Ute Indian Tribe; development of alternative water facilities and grants of funds to rural Utah communities in lieu of CUP facilities originally planned, but not constructed, etc.

The Central Utah Project:

The Central Utah Project is the state of Utah's largest and most comprehensive federal water resource development project. It moves water from the Colorado River basin in eastern Utah to the western slopes of the Wasatch Mountain range where population growth and industrial development are rapidly growing. The project provides water for municipal and industrial use, irrigation, hydroelectric power, fish and wildlife, conservation, and recreation. Improved flood control and water quality are also among the project benefits.

The Central Utah Project was authorized in 1956 under the Colorado River Storage Project Act (P.L. 84-485) as a participating project of the Colorado River Storage Project. It was divided into six units to facilitate planning and construction: Vernal, Jensen, Bonneville, Upalco, Ute Indian, and Uintah. The Vernal, Jensen, Bonneville, and Upalco Units were authorized by the 1956 CRSP Act. The Uintah and Ute Indian Unit were later authorized by the 1968 Colorado River Basin Project Act. 

Over the decades since the CUP’s authorization, the changing political climate, budget priorities, and emerging environmental concerns have resulted in many changes to the project. The Vernal and Jensen Units were completed; plans for the Upalco, Uintah, and Ute Indian Units were never realized and the Ute Indian Unit was de-authorized; the purpose and components of the Bonneville Unit have evolved; and the passage of the Central Utah Project Completion Act in 1992 has altered the planning, oversight, and areas of responsibility for the Bonneville Unit.

The Central Utah Project Completion Act (P.L. 102-575) enacted on October 30, 1992, transferred responsibility for planning and construction activities to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District and placed responsibility for oversight of the project with the Department of the Interior.

The CUPCA established the Central Utah Project Completion Act Office which was created in 1993 to oversee completion of the project and administer CUPCA funding, legal compliance, environmental work, etc. The CUPCA Office reports directly to the Secretary of the Interior through the Assistant Secretary for Water and Science. The CUPCA also established the Utah Reclamation Mitigation Conservation Commission to coordinate mitigation and conservation activities for the project.

The Central Utah Project provides the opportunity and mechanism for Utah to develop a significant portion of its allocated share of Colorado River water for beneficial use. As the need for water continues to grow along the Wasatch Front, the CUP will continue to play an important role in meeting those needs.