News Release Archive

Reclamation's Provo Area Office Manager Bruce C. Barrett Announces Retirement

Media Contact: Don Merrill, (801) 379-1074, dmerrill@usb.gov

For Release: June 24, 2010

Bruce C. Barrett, manager of the Bureau of Reclamation's Provo Area Office since 1992, announced his retirement effective July 2, 2010 after a 30-year career with the agency. An open house will be held in his honor at the Provo Area Office on Friday, June 25, 2010 between 2 and 3 p.m.

Barrett was hired by Reclamation as a civil engineer in the Provo Area Office Planning Division in April 1980. In April 1989, he left federal service for private consulting but returned in October 1991 and became a supervising general engineer for the Salt Lake Regional Office. In December 1991, he was promoted to a program manager for the Provo Area Office and became area manager in September 1994. He has served in that position for sixteen years.

"The excellent leadership, project knowledge, and technical expertise that Bruce has demonstrated throughout his career and as manager of the Provo Area Office, has been invaluable," said Larry Walkoviak, Reclamation Upper Colorado regional director. "He will be greatly missed."

During his tenure, Barrett has overseen the twenty-nine large dams that comprise the sixteen major water projects within the jurisdiction of the Provo Area Office. Additionally, he has had the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of 60 miles of tunnels, 175 miles of pipelines, seven power-plants, 13 pumping stations and 263 miles of canals.

Barrett has been recognized for several high profile accomplishments during his tenure. He was named Reclamation's Regional Engineer in 1992, and received a Superior Service Award in 2005. Most notable however are the completion of Jordanelle Dam and Reservoir in 1992 and the successful emergency response and repair of A.V. Watkins Dam in 2006, an effort for which he was recognized by the Department of Interior in 2007.

During the extended drought period between 2001 and 2006, Barrett worked with many Utah water user associations and water conservancy districts to help manage reservoir levels, and he has been responsible for ensuring major upgrades for critical water storage and conveyance infrastructure facilities throughout Utah including: Deer Creek, Pineview, Huntington North, Wanship, Lost Creek, Echo, Moon Lake, Newton, Washington, Lost Lake, Hyrum and Upper Stillwater dams. The open house in Barrett's honor will take place at the Provo Area Office located at 302 East 1860 South, Provo, Utah. For more information on his open house, contact Public Affairs Specialist Don Merrill at (801) 379-1074 or dmerrill@usbr.gov.

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The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.