Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company seeks funds to replace century‑old penstock used for emergency discharge and flushing

Tom (division staff presenter) told the board the Davis and Weber Counties Canal Company seeks board assistance to replace an aging penstock and make associated channel work that allows the company to discharge water for emergency relief and spring flushing. The presenter said the existing penstock dates to about 1910, is a steel riveted pipe that is "past its useful life," and that the steel is rusting and the concrete foundations are deteriorating. The project would replace the steel pipe with HDPE and perform improvements to the open channel below the pipeline to discharge water into the Weber River. The presenter reported a total project cost of about $1,175,000 with a proposed board share of 85% ($999,000), financed from the revolving construction fund at 0% interest over 20 years with annual payments of about $50,000, consistent with previous authorizations for this project. Board members asked whether the penstock had been used for hydroelectric generation in the past; staff confirmed the adjacent hydroelectric plant was decommissioned in the 1970s and that the penstock has been used since for emergency discharge and flushing. Why it matters: The penstock serves as an important operational and emergency outlet for the Davis and Weber Canal system; failure could affect canal operation, seasonal maintenance and emergency response. What happens next: Staff expects the project to proceed under the previously authorized terms and sought board concurrence that the project remain eligible for the previously authorized financing.