The section of pipeline (in red) under Pineview Reservoir that will be replaced. (click to enlarge)

Low Snowpack Enables Quicker Fix for Aging Ogden Canyon Water System
By The Ogden Valley News Staff - 12 July 2026
 
A record-low snowpack and inconsistent rains across Northern Utah have prompted statewide fireworks bans for the Fourth of July and contributed to numerous local fires. However, these challenging drought conditions are unexpectedly presenting a distinct advantage for a major upcoming infrastructure project at Pineview Reservoir.
 
Ogden City recently announced updates regarding the Ogden Canyon 36-inch Water Transmission Pipeline Replacement Project, a multi-year, $100 million effort that has been underway throughout 2025.
 
Prepared by Sunrise Engineering, the project update highlights the impending construction on the Pineview Reservoir crossing. This segment is considered one of the most complex and visible portions of the entire endeavor. The pipeline serves as a critical link, connecting the wellfield north of Pineview Reservoir directly to the transmission system at Port Ramp Marina. Ultimately, this infrastructure is responsible for delivering water to over 120,000 customers in the greater Ogden area, supplying homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals.
 
The current pipeline has reached the end of its service life, having been in operation for roughly 55 years beneath the reservoir and nearly a century through Ogden Canyon. Due to its advanced age, the system experiences significant water loss, estimated at over one million gallons per day. Replacing the aging lines will mitigate these substantial losses, improve long-term reliability, and prevent potential service interruptions.
 
The 2025-2026 water year yielded the lowest statewide snowpack on modern record, meaning Pineview Reservoir was already projected to reach notably low levels regardless of the construction effort. Officials are capitalizing on this naturally lowered state to minimize overall impact to the area. Any water that must be released to facilitate construction will remain within the broader water management system, eventually being stored and utilized through existing facilities like Willard Bay.
 
Jeffrey Putzke, public information manager for Sunrise Engineering, indicated in an interview with the Standard-Examiner that the necessary drawdown will occur around mid-September, aligning with the reservoir's typical seasonal low point.
 
“With drawing it down the extra few feet that we need to get it down to dry out the section of that north arm where the pipe rests, it enables them to get in and get out as quickly as possible,” Putzke said.
 
Under normal conditions with higher water levels, the project would have required significantly more engineering and time on the lakebed to manage the water around the construction zone.
 
“The other alternatives would’ve added about a month to a month and a half on the front-end and the back end,” Putzke explained. “They were going to do a berm or a coffer dam to try to save some of the water in the main part of the reservoir and hold it and pump it from the north arm. It also would’ve included time to get that material back out. … We would’ve probably been pushing into February or even March.”
 
“By avoiding the construction and subsequent removal of a coffer dam, crews anticipate starting this section of the project by late September or early October 2026. Equipment and personnel are expected to be entirely off the lakebed by February 2027, just as winter precipitation begins refilling the reservoir.”
 
Further details regarding the pipeline project and the scheduled drawdown can be found at https://ogdencitypipeline.com/.