Show EDITORIALS Lend Your Support v Of or all projects undertaken b by the government in developing water resources in the west and primarily along the too Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado r river watershed probably none would have a greater effect on the improvement im im- provement and future suture prosperity of the Moab and Grand Crand county area than the proposed Pack creek project now being studied by the Bureau of Reclamation for budget programming in the not too distant distant distant dis dis- tant future In spite of the fact that at the present time the emphasis on water resources re re- resources sources development seems to be on the two major Colorado river dams now under under un un- un der construction at Glen canyon and FlamIng Flaming Flam Flam- ing Gorge crews spent quite a bit of time in this area working on a preliminary survey for the Pack creek project and are due back this Spring for further work What would this project do for this area To understand this we must first examine the proposed construction together together together to to- gether with the improvements it will bring about when under operation The project would involve the construction of two dams in Mill l creek which develops in the La Sal mountains and is tributary to the river in Moab after following following follow follow- ing a winding course through a narrow sandstone canyon nyon which parallels ls Moab valley The first dam and the largest would be less than one mile up the canyon can can- yon cn from frem the power d dam am m of the tho Utah Power and Light company on the eastern edge of Moab This dam which would be bein bein bein in the neighborhood of feet in height would create a reservoir of quite large size which would care for irrigation needs of the immediate area around Moab The second dam which would be only eight feet in height would be located near what is known as Flat Pass but to be more specific specific almost due north of the Grand county county coun coun- ty airport and would act as a diversion dam to bring ring the water by means of a tunnel tunnel tun tun- nel through the sandstone cliff and onto the extreme eastern end of Spanish or Moab valley making possible the irrigation irrigation irrigation tion of thousands of arid acres now known as Poverty Flat The result agriculturally speaking would be a valley stretching from the Colorado river in the West to the foot of the La Sal mountains in the East check- check with green fields made possible possible ble by water from Mill creek which in the past and at the tho present ran to waste dur dur- Ing winter months of the year but would now be utilized to the last drop by careful careful careful care care- ful management through the use of the diversion dam and the lower reservoir In addition to furnishing irrigation water sufficient to care for the needs of Moab valley the reservoir would provide a large water fresh lake within minutes' minutes drive of Moab which could become one of the most popular fishing spots of Utah It would also provide miles of boating pleasure through the colorful canyons for forthe forthe forthe the increasing ever number of boating enthusiasts enthusiasts en en- In and around Moab From a recreational standpoint alone the possibilities of this project would seem to us to warrent its construction In a telephone conversation with Bureau Bureau Bu Bu- reau of Reclamation officials in Washington Washing Washing- ton some months ago the Times dent learned that work is now center centered d around a grade feasibility report which w when en completed will give the green light for financial appropriations The l latest date which this report could be finished according to the Washington office is 9 It tune dune June 1958 but buti from rom all appearances the 1 preliminary work will be completed b before beford t r th that t date Th The nt thing Earned from Washington was the statement that this project might have been previous previously planned appropriations made and work Ht started if Bureau officials had not been discouraged on their initial trip to Moab for consideration of the planned construction construe construe- tion That anyone with a stake in the Moab area could voice negative opinions on such sucha a worthwhile project fact is incomprehensible to us But the fact remains that when government officials began the survey they were led to believe that Moab did I not want the Pack c creek ek project under taken Apparently this belief bellet on on n the part of congressional representatives and Bureau Bu flu I reau of reclamation officials alike has b been n changed since that time and they are now vigorously supporting it but not until after alter severn several I years had been wasted In a letter to L L. B B. Perry of Moab district agricultural inspector who has been aiding in the survey Senator Arthur V V. Watkins stated Pack creek and Emery are two projects projects pro pro- that I would like to see expedited if at all an He w went nt on to state You may be assured that all of us arc are interested interest Interest- ed in you and your water problems and that we will in our to get things moving We see it as ns the tho obligation of ot every citizen civic organization and local government government gov go emment group of the Moab area to lend full support and encouragement to this project which w would uld directly or indirectly aid every person in this area M L |