Show 1 Letters to the Editor July 28 1961 Via The Times-Independent Times To The little town of or Moab Utah and my many friends there thel near Dear ear Friends ends Receiving the Times ent eat keeps me abreast of the general general gen gen- eral erat developments of ot my home hometown hometown hometown town and I am sorry to say the passing of my many dear old- old time friends Our loss of Winbourn and many many others started me to thinking about bout Moab's past its present and its future as viewed from afar by one of its native sons who still sUIl considers Moab home despite its tremendous change in the last 25 years yeara Reading the Moab paper and watching Denver Colorados Colorado's struggle and Id grab for water leads me to make a few comments comments comments com com- ments on the water situation there at Moab It seems to methe me methe methe the dam in le Mill Creek should be seriously investigated and the completion of ot the tunnel long ago started from Mill Creek under Mill Creek pass to bring water there to Buena now known as Poverty Flat If the ground formations In Mill Creek will ll hold water all an of the spring runoff and winter flow could be stored In a n reservoir in tn Mill Mil MillCreek Creek and brought through the tunnel and dumped Into the Moab Toab drinking water system Water rights for of ot course would have to be main main- by allowing a certain amount of water to pass through the dam as required I think Moab should Join the cry for federal help on this dam and all 1111 other community undertakings because of the influx Influx in influx In- In flux of Industry and national publicity This increase of water would only suffice for an expanding expanding expanding ex ex- ex- ex Moab for a certain perIod period per per- iod of time but It lt would be well worthwhile In my opinion The next source of water would be bethe bethe bethe the Colorado River This water could be pumped with electric power from the Colorado to a filtration and purification pl plant nt above Moab very cheaply with modern machinery and then placed in the Moab drinking water water water wa wa- ter system It seems to me Moab should make every attempt or effort at this time to establish necessary water rights out of the Colorado for its survival I 1 hate to see Moab and other I communities continue to sit Idly id idly idly Id- Id I II ly by wJ while le Denver and the othern othern oth- oth ern em slope makes the big water grab out of the Colorado Those who recall the old days will realize realize realize re re- re- re alize that this water grab has almost dried up the Colorado there at Moab Since residential use of water had top priority has dald dad claim to most of the upper Colorado River water water water wa wa- wa- wa ter and once this is established they will still have the local storage rams and conservation measures to Increase their efficient ef ef- efficient water use for the future If Moab were to follow suit and their rights to water out of the Colorado River at the present time Its future expansIon expansion sion slon would be assured It is a pity to me that all of this water is being brought to the eastern slope slop which raises a t product known as wheat a apolitical political headache and something some something thing we already got too much of ot If It Instead this water could be diverted Into the governments government's governments government's governments government's govern govern- ments ment's so-called so waste vaste land Jand around Moab and downstream on th the Colorado the finest gra grapes s and fruits In tn the nation hatlon could be raised and placed on the American market These items Hems are a scarcity rather than wheat surplus headache Someday Some Someday Someday day this so-called so waste land tand will wilt be recognized as the finest fruit growing land in tn n the country coun coun- try try but but after atter the water Is ts com com- Another piece of ot land tand heretofore heretofore heretofore here here- known as waste land has at last been recognized by the Federal Government and now attempts at are arc being made to tomake tomake tomae make mae this a federal park pork My experience with Federal Parks Yellowstone Jackson Hole and Rocky Mountain Park Park has has taught me th t these became a sanctuary for tor federal employees who control the concessions and herd people around like cattle over a few closely guarded highways highways highways high high- ways or trails I believe the Utah people eople should get behind Governor Clyde In his thinking and make this area a state park rk controlled by Utah people who are familiar with tJ this s area and operate it for the people of the United States and not as a privileged sanctuary for a f few federal federal fed fed- eral employees If the State of Utah controlled this park it could handle the revenues for forthe forthe forthe the State and the park for the people of the United States much better than the Government could I do not believe believe believe be be- lieve and federal controlled concessions concessions concessions con con- cessions should be allowed I realize some of these suggestions suggestions suggestions sug sug- will cost Moab res rest resl dents additional money or taxes but we have a new type land and water gr grab b faction in action with which we must recognize and deal to assure yourselves yo ofa ofa of ofa a fair share of both Whichever path the establishment establishment establishment establish establish- ment management and operation operation operation opera opera- tion of this park takes it does my heart good to see some of the wise boys in Washington who have classified this land as waste land finally aroused from their deep sleep and recognize it as Gads Gad's playground of creation creation creation crea crea- tion which It truly is We allcan all aU allcan can say I 1 told you so and some day this area will be recognized recognized recognized re re- cognized for Its ability to grow luscious fruits and again we can 1 repeat I 1 told you so May I 1 stand amazed at th the two small culverts Installed In Mill MII Creek where here Main Street now crosses The ball of ot trash pushed by a good old-fashioned old Gully Guny Washer old time flood to the new Moab people will win plug these small tubes and divert divert di divert di- di vert the following g water down dow Main Street As per Usual th the Federal Government will wilt probably probably probably pro pro- bably declare this a disaster area and rebuild the town and thus In the long tong run you will b be ahead I will close by wishing all alt m my friends and acquaintances sincere sincere sin sin- cere sere best wishes and God bless bles you and with this statement get back to work on the equipment equipment equip ment now being designed an and built for your potash mine W W. K SOMERVILLE |