Strawberry Aqueduct and Collection System
The Strawberry Aqueduct and Collection System (SACS) completed in the late 1980s, is the single largest component of the Bonneville Unit of the Central Utah Project (CUP). It is a system of reservoirs, tunnels, pipelines, and diversion dams designed to collect flows of 10 streams that are tributary to the Strawberry or Duchesne Rivers and which drain the south slope of the Uinta Mountains of eastern Utah. The system brings that water west to the populous Wasatch Front for agriculture, municipal and industrial uses.
The system head is on Rock Creek, in Duchesne County, Utah. Part of the flows of Rock Creek are diverted, along with flows from nine other tributaries including: South Fork Rock Creek, Hades Creek, Twin Creek, Wolf Creek, West Fork of the Duchesne River, Currant Creek, Layout Creek, Water Hollow Creek, and the Strawberry River, and conveyed to Strawberry Reservoir through the 36.8 mile-long Strawberry Aqueduct.
Upper Stillwater Reservoir, with a capacity of 32,009 acre-feet, serves as a regulating reservoir at the head of the Strawberry Aqueduct to provide temporary storage during the high runoff period for later diversion to the aqueduct and storage in Strawberry Reservoir. Currant Creek Reservoir, with a total capacity of 15,671 acre-feet, diverts Currant Creek and five tributaries into the Strawberry Aqueduct.
The size and capacity of the system increases as each stream is diverted into it. It begins with a 9-foot diameter tunnel with 285 cfs capacity at Upper Stillwater Reservoir and ends with a 620 cfs capacity open-channel section entering Strawberry Reservoir.
The system is about 45 miles long, including tunnels, pipelines and reservoirs. Diversions of water from the eastern Uinta Basin to the Wasatch Front via the SACS average 101,900 acre-feet annually. [ Strawberry Aqueduct and Collection System Map ]
Strawberry Reservoir, the terminal reservoir of the SACS, was originally constructed in 1908 to serve one of the earliest federal water projects, the Strawberry Valley Project. The reservoir was enlarged in 1972 from 273,000 acre feet to 1,106,500 acre feet with the construction of Soldier Creek Dam on the Strawberry River. The reservoir is now a CUP project feature. Some of the water stored in Strawberry Reservoir is also released downstream in the Strawberry River to support sport fishing, but most of the stored water is for delivery through the Wasatch Mountains to the Bonneville Basin as the largest component of the water supply for the CUP.
In addition to water development, the reservoirs of the Strawberry Aqueduct and Collection System provide flood control, recreation, and fish and wildlife benefits to the people of eastern Utah.
The SACS also releases 44,400 acre feet of water at various points along its course to support and enhance trout and other sport fishing annually in four important Uinta Basin streams - Strawberry River, Current Creek, West Fork Duchesne River, and Rock Creek. Three of these rivers, the Strawberry River, Current Creek, West Fork Duchesne River, have been designated “Blue Ribbon” trout streams by the state of Utah, the highest quality fishing experiences in the state.
The following tables provide additional information about the various elements of the SACS.
Major Storage Reservoirs of the SACS
Storage Reservoir |
Stream |
Storage Capacity |
Surface Acers (Full Pool) |
Upper Stillwater |
Rock Creek |
32,009 acre-feet |
314 acres |
Currant Creek |
Currant Creek |
15,671 acre-feet |
286 acres |
Strawberry |
Strawberry River |
1,106,000 acre-feet |
17,164 acres |
Major Diversion Structures of the SACS
Stream Diverted |
Diversion Structure |
Diversion Capacity (cubic feet per second) |
South Fork Rock Creek |
Doc Diversion |
100 cfs |
Hades Creek |
Hades Diversion |
30 cfs |
Twin Creek |
Win Diversion |
5 cfs |
Wolf Creek |
Rhodes Diversion |
15 cfs |
Layout Creek |
Layout Diversion |
20 cfs |
Water Hollow Creek |
Water Hollow Diversion |
20 cfs |
West Fork Duchesne River |
Vat Diversion |
300 cfs |
Main Conveyance Facilities of the SACS
Click on image for larger view
Main Tunnels and Pipelines |
Length (approx.) |
Stillwater Tunnel |
8.4 miles |
Hades Tunnel |
4.2 miles |
Rhodes Tunnel |
0.8 miles |
West Fork Pipeline |
4.2 miles |
Vat Tunnel |
7.3 miles |
Current Tunnel |
1.7 miles |
Layout Tunnel |
3.3 miles |
Water Hollow Tunnel |
4.1 miles |
Note: Numerous smaller feeder pipelines and conduits, not listed here, also bring diverted water into the main pipelines and tunnels.