| Show Battle Over Water Projects Begins In Wash D. D DC D.C. C. C A long simmering long battle over development development develop develop- ment of water resources for Utah began began be be- gan gari in Washington D D. D C. C Tuesday as the Senate and House took look testimony on federal spending next year on Upper Colorado River Basin water projects ENVIRONMENTALISTS who want to halt virtually all aU water developments in Utah were opposed by most of the states state's political leaders headed by Gov Calvin L. L Rampton Utah witnesses testified before before be be- fore the Senate and House Appropriations Committees The Sierra Club Friends of the Earth and other conservation groups groups' told the Congressional appropriations committees that water projects are destroying choice fishing streams wiping out beaver dams and ruining irreplaceable scenic meadows meadows mea mend dows and wilderness areas that should be preserved RAMPTON SEN Wallace Wailace F. F Bennett Sen Frank E. E Moss Rep Gunn McKay and Rep Wayne Owens testified that the Wasatch Front communities desperately desperately desper desper- needs the water the big Bonneville Bonne Bonne- ville vine Unit of the Central Utah Reclamation Reclamation Project will bring into the Salt Lake Valley beginning next year In testimony Moss said that if major spending cuts are made in the Bonneville Bonne Bonne- Bonneville ville Pr Project now planned water delivery delivery ery dates will not be met and water will have hav t to be rationed in Salt Lake County and further home construction and industrial development t definitely curtailed The environmentalists led by Dr David Da- Da David Da vid of the Sierra Club dispute that prediction and were to tell the appropriations appropriations ap ap- ap committees that here is plenty of water available in the Wasatch Front if sewage is recycled and industrial industrial in in- and irrigation water use cur cur- tailed THE water PRO forces are arc fighting both the conservationists and the Nixon Administration which proposed a sharp cutback though no halt in water project construction The reclamation budget asked only 63 million in new money this year for the Bonneville Unit Unit Together with 72 million left over from fiscal 1973 the project would receive re reo receive million less thas half the 29 million voted last year The supporters of water development have agreed that a minimum of 20 million million mil mild lion is needed to keep Bonneville on schedule In his statement Rampton said the Bonneville Unit is the key to providing enough municipal and industrial water to the Wasatch Front area where seventy percent of the states state's population lives lIe He noted that local officials have built an 8 million water treatment plant in anticipation of receiving acre feet of water from the Bonneville Unit next year The governor said delivery of water delivery restrictions if the Central Utah Project is not completed on schedule The water experts at the hearings could not agree on just how soon water rationing ra tinning might be likely if the projects are arc cut but estimates range from 1977 to 1980 as the time frame in which new home construction in Salt Lake County might have to be halted In a addition to 20 million for Bonneville Bonne ville vile Rampton was to ask the committees committees committees com com- to provide 1 million for the Jensen Unit which was denied any new fund request for the Upalco Unit for the Uintah Unit and I 1 million for the Ute Indian Unit They agree that the budgeted for the Vernal Unit appears to be satisfactory Moss also is backing a 14 million loan for the conservancy district and to complete a bobtailed version version ver vcr sion of Project a study at Utah State University Originally designed as a year three study the project pro prod was abruptly cut off by the administration ad add ministration with a year ear left to run lIe He also asked the committee to approve approve ap prove for work o 0 othe othe the Little Dell Project as Salt Lake City Rep Wayne Owens an ardent conservationist conservationist conser conser- V said he is backing the 20 million Bonneville appropriation being requested by other Utah leaders Utah is a desert state and this project pro prod is not a matter of mere need it itis itis itis is a matter of absolute necessity he said lie He w was s to ask the appropriations panels to ignore the office of management management management manage manage- ment and budget or in a few years ears our people will be thirsty in Salt Lake County has jumped from million gallons in 1955 to three billion billion bil bU bil- bil lion gallons in 1965 and 65 billion gallons gal Ions lons in 1972 Much of the increase was met by above average rainfall and stream flow which he warns is unlikely to continue lie He warns of serious water I. I |
