Show Ashley Springs dependability To the Editor After a brief hiatus culinary water treatment plants and Ashley Springs are once again leading topics in local news reports and papers Unfortunate Unfortunate- Unfortunately ly less than 35 percent of eligible voters participated In the referendum held June 15 to determine if one or two water treat treat- treatment treatment ment facilities would be constructed in inthe inthe the valley Thus a well organized minority aided by an apathetic non non- nonvoting nonvoting voting majority managed to win the election and construction of a second totally unnecessary unnecessary treatment plant was mandated Both before and and since the referendum numerous undocumented and inaccurate statements concerning the flow of Ashley Spring have emanated from the media individuals and various governing bodies This issue is again clouded by misconceptions erroneous claims and assertions that cannot be substantiated Elucidation is obviously in order Decisions regarding such serious mat mat- matters as sources of supply for and loca loca- loca location tion of water treatment plants should be based on the best data available not on supposition wishful thinking fairy tales personal preferences and the desires of misguided crusading individuals The Water Resources Division of the US Geological Survey has maintained a recording station on Ashley ey Creek since 1914 This facility located just below the spring area has provid- provid provided provided ed 68 years of reliable data that is available to the public The Survey also operated a continuous recorder on the creek above the spring area from 1941 to 1945 and on Ashley Spring itself from October 1943 to September 1945 Correlation and ex ex- ex extrapolation of the data collected at these sites and information available in reports of the Ashley Creek Water Com Com- Commissioner missioner make possible reasonably ac- ac accurate ac- ac accurate curate determination of the flow of Ashley Spring A perusal of the available data reveals that the lowest recorded stream flows In Ashley Creek occurred during 78 1977 and not contrary to public assertions made last June during the The gauging station located on Ashley Creek below the springs records the total combined flow of the creek and andall andall all of the springs in the spring area less the water diverted by Vernal City Ver- Ver Vernal Vernal nal City commenced diverting water from the biggest spring on August 1 1941 Therefore since 1941 it has been necessary to add the quantity of water diverted by the city to the amount recorded at the gauging station to obtain the total flow During 38 1937 the driest years of that decade the combined flow of the creek and all of the springs fell to a daily low of 17 cubic feet per second during March and April In 78 1977 the driest years n record daily discharge during the winter and early spring months as recorded at the station fell to 35 three and tenths five ds with a minimum recorded discharge of 32 Records of the Ashley Creek Water Com Com- Commissioner Commissioner missioner show that Vernal City CUy was diverting 80 ers directly from the spring at this time Therefore during January 1977 the total combined flow of Ashley Creek and all of the springs in the spring area fell as low as for some days and did not exceed during the entire month Vernal City diverted 80 directly from the spring during January 1977 leaving a minimum of 35 and a maximum of 61 ers to maintain the trout fishery help fill Reservoir and if one had been there to supply a water treatment ty Flows recorded at the gauging station were nearly as low during 1978 falling Calling to 37 ds during the winter and spring months The treatment plant proposed by the Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District would require a steady dependable flow of 10 ers in order to function properly and to meet demands Some proponents of the Ashley Canyon Plant point out that the flow of the Big Springs averages about 30 ers Although basically a reasonably accurate figure it is highly subject to misinterpretation The fluctuations in flow from the spring coincides almost exactly with the flow of the three streams in the Dry DryFork DryFork Fork drainage During the spring period the spring flows up to 55 ers but during March and April of years of normal precipitation recorded as flows have fallen as low as 15 and rarely exceed 20 During the drouth years of flows from the spring dropped to less than 10 During 1944 the daily average discharge for the spring was ers and for 1945 it was These are yearly averages however based on total accumulated flow for the year The spring flows considerably less than 30 for sly six months of the year 01 Ashley Spring is clearly not a dependable dependable dable source of water for amounts ex ex- ex exceeding 12 1012 According to profess in the field municipal and culinary water systems should have at least one and preferably two alternate sources of supply If a treatment plant plantIs plantIs Is constructed In Ashley Canyon depending ding solely upon II Ashley Spring for Its source of water then it is only a matter of time before before the catastrophe so clear clear- clearly ly adumbrated in the available data occurs During the first dry year valley residents served by such sucha water a plant will be hauling their drinking water in barrels DON DALE DALE and SUE BATTY |