Repairs on the Hyrum Dam will cost taxpayers almost $98 million
Jun 3, 2025, 6:00 PM
Crews started demolition of the 90-year-old Hyrum Dam this week and will take up to four years to build a new one. (KSL TV)
(KSL TV)
HYRUM, Cache County — The Hyrum Dam is getting a facelift. Crews started demolition of the 90-year-old spillway this week and will take up to four years to build a new one.
Rick Baxter, the Provo area office manager for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, said the access over the dam from 300 South in Hyrum is now closed until the project is complete.
The cost to put in the new spillway is estimated at $115.9 million and is being paid up-front by the federal government. However, Baxter said the price will be repaid mainly by taxpayers.
“The South Cache Water Users Association is going to be responsible for 15% of the cost of that construction.” Baxter said, ” … and taxpayers will pay for the other 85% of that.”
Baxter said the Bureau of Reclamation submitted an M.O.D. request to Congress for funding. The project was approved in Congressional hearings through the Reclamation Safety of Dams Act of 1984.
The money is initially provided by the federal government because “Every part of [the dam] is federal property, including the Hyrum State Park,” Baxter said ” … and because each project requesting funds through the Safety of Dams Act is approved on an individual basis it makes them safe from any cuts Washington may want to do through DOGE.”
Not all dams needing repairs can be funded through Congressional approval. Only 14% of all dams in the United States are run by the federal government. The rest are either controlled by states or are privately owned.
The multi-million dollar spillway project was awarded to AMES Federal Contracting Group in March of this year. It began work on Monday with the closure of 300 South.
Baxter said his department looks forward to working with the public as issues arise and hopes to complete this very important water project by spring of 2029.
