The Stratos/Wonder Valley data center project has withdrawn its second water rights change application for Hansel Valley in Box Elder County after facing significant public opposition, including more than 700 protests filed against a previous application. The proposal sought to convert existing spring water from ranching and domestic use to industrial use for a 7.5-gigawatt natural gas power plant and a data center.
Withdrawal of Water Application
According to the advocacy group Friends of Great Salt Lake, the project's second application, identified as Change Application a54536, was withdrawn on May 27, 2026. This follows a prior application by the same entity that was withdrawn on May 7 after a record-breaking number of Utahns filed formal protests.
The proposed project, operating under the name Wonder Valley, aimed to convert 11 acre-feet per year of spring water in Hansel Valley from agricultural and domestic use to industrial use. This specific water right, 13-2645, serves as a component of a larger industrial development that includes both a natural gas-fired power plant and a data center.
Environmental and Hydrological Concerns
The application for the Wonder Valley project drew intense scrutiny due to the site's hydrological connection to the Great Salt Lake and the Locomotive Springs Wildlife Management Area. This state-managed wetland, located approximately two miles from the project site, has already experienced an 80% loss of its spring flow due to existing groundwater pumping.
Critics argued that the application lacked sufficient detail regarding the nature of water consumption for the power plant and the data center. Project representatives had previously stated they were seeking 3,000 acre-feet on-site and 10,000 acre-feet near Snowville, though the specific application for 11 acre-feet represented a much smaller portion of those claimed totals.
Discrepancies in Water Use
Technical details from the Utah Division of Water Rights for a related application, a54385, show the project's intent to use water for power generation and a closed-loop data center. The application noted that the data center would not result in consumptive loss under normal operations, as periodic flushing would return water to the natural hydrologic system and the Great Salt Lake.
However, opponents argued that the application failed to explain how 11 acre-feet of water would be sufficient for a facility of this scale. They noted that federal EIA data indicates natural gas power plants of this magnitude typically consume hundreds of thousands of acre-feet per year. Furthermore, critics pointed out that the application did not provide a complete water budget for the power plant's consumptive losses, despite claims that the water would return to the system.
Public Protest and Policy Impact
During a Box Elder County Commission meeting on April 27, 2026, a technical representative for the project stated the development has approximately 3,000 acre-feet on-site and 10,000 acre-feet under contract near Snowville. Despite these claims, no corresponding change application for the Snowville water had been identified in public Division records at the time of the protests.
Advocacy groups asserted that approving industrial water changes without a complete hydrological analysis is contrary to the public interest, particularly following a year where Utah received its lowest snowpack in recorded history. Protesters argued that the proposed use would be detrimental to public welfare and could impair existing water rights and the preservation of the Great Salt Lake.
The Protest Process
The Utah Division of Water Rights maintains a formal process for public input, allowing citizens to file protests for a $15.00 fee. These protests allow the public to request formal hearings, preserving their right to participate if the State Engineer schedules a review of the application. While the specific application for the Wonder Valley project has been withdrawn, the process remains a primary mechanism for public opposition to large-scale industrial water requests in the state.
Background on Water Rights
The Water Right 13-4148, which was part of the reviewed applications, is owned by Bar H Ranch, Inc. of Bear River City. The application sought to change the use of the water from irrigation to industrial use for power generation and a data center. The status of the application was listed as withdrawn as of August 1, 2026.
