Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-07-27 | Page 14 | Court Battle on Dam Looms

COURT coUnt BATTLE ON DAM LOOMS Utah and Idaho water users joined forces against Wyoming Saturday Saturday Sat Sat- in a controversy involving the threatened diversion of ot Bear Benr river water by construction of the proposed Coyote dam near Evans- Evans ton The dispute may reach federal court it is believed in the light of ot an announcement by F F. M. M L Cooper Grace Idaho secretary of the Last t. t Chance Canal company that A A. L. L Merrill MerriU Pocatello water att attorney had had been been re retained to prepare prepare pre pre- pare litigation Mr r. r Cooper a member of the executive executive ex ex- board of ot the Bear lake lako and Bear water distribution committee committee com corn said users will seek a permanent permanent permanent per per- manent Injunction against the di diversIon diversion dl- dl version of Bear river water on an the grounds ground such action would jeopardize jeopardize jeopardize dize irrigation of thousands of acres of productive lands in northera northern northern north north- ern era Utah and southern Idaho Ho explained the Coyote project contemplates the use of acre feet of water annually which Utah and Idaho users users users' are arc now utilizing He said the project plans In involved the storage of this water at the time it is most moat needed in Utah and Idaho The project would impound 39 acre feet yearly for users in the Wy Wyoming area of the Bear river v valley Plans call for the construction construction construction tion of the dam on Coyote creek 10 miles southwest of ot Evanston It is the contention of the Utah and Idaho groups that there is little littie little lit lit- tle tie runoff from Coyote creek and that the project actually would Impound Impound impound Im Im- im- im pound Bear river water infringing on existing rights Mr Cooper reported that his company th the West Cache Irrigation Irrigation Irrigation tion company the Utah-Idaho Utah Sugar Sug Sug- ar company and the Utah Power and Light company would join in inthe inthe inthe the intended litigation and that they were looking toward the Bear river committee for leadership F. F P. P Champ of Logan chairman of ot the committee said no official action has been taken by the group in connection with the controversy It is understood a substitute proposal proposal proposal pro pro- to provide water for Wyoming Wyoming Wyo Wyo- ming lands without affecting Utah and Idaho users of Bear river has grown out of a survey by Ralf Raif R. R Salt Lake City federal hydraulic engineer This contemplates construction of the Coyote dam and another reservoir reservoir reservoir res res- res- res five miles southwest on Yellow Yellow Yel Yet low creek utilizing water from Green river or Flaming Gorge Mourned rr I gj r k i I L Mrs Leonora Taylor Harrington on