High Mountain Dams in Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project, Kamas, Summit County, UT

Significance: The history of the Upper Provo River Dams can be traced to the foresight of Joseph R. Murdock, a prominent Utah Legislator. In 1909, Murdock acting on behalf of a number of large Mormon controlled irrigation companies, applied to the State Engineer's Office to impound water in numerous lakes within the Uinta National Forest. Murdock's move was masterful, all but monopolizing the western water sources of the Provo River. Although technologically rudimentary, these small earth-fill and masonry dams proved instrumental in opening the Provo Bench in Salt Lake County to farming...
Survey number: HAER UT-41
Building/structure dates: 1935 Initial Construction