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The Provo Reservoir Canal, also known as the Murdock Canal, is a feature of the Deer Creek Division of the Provo River Project. The PRP, which also includes Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir, was constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation in the early 1940’s to provide irrigation water and culinary water to residents in northern Utah and Salt Lake Counties. The Provo River Water Users Association is the sponsor of the PRP and the operating and managing entity for Reclamation.

The proposed Parallel Pipeline Project is a new component of the Provo Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project. The PRCEP consists of enclosing the entire 21.5-mile length of the PRC with pipe. During final PRCEP design, it was determined that constructing a new pipeline parallel to the existing PRC to reduce the friction losses (head loss) through that section of the PRC was the most cost effective way to achieve the flow characteristics needed to meet PRCEP water delivery requirements. Since this new pipeline had not been analyzed in the 2003 Provo Reservoir Canal Enclosure Project Environmental Assessment, a new NEPA document is required. This EA will satisfy that requirement.

The proposed Project consists of constructing an approximately 4,200 foot long, 96-inch diameter, steel pipeline parallel to the existing PRC Siphon from the inlet of the existing PRC Siphon in the mouth of Provo Canyon to the outlet of the existing PRC Siphon on 800 North in Orem. The proposed Project is sized to meet the flow rates requested by the Association and other PRCEP participants.