Show 1 N Na a TROUT CREEK RESERVOIR would be used to reduce during periods of rapid snow melt or heavy rains preventing thousands of dollars worth of damage to public and private property The above Dry Fork Project Hearing Lists Need of Trout Creek Reservoir Sixty six people attended the public meeting held Saturday for the purpose of obtaining public opinion on the environmental environmental en impact of the Dry Fork Project assistant state conservationist conservationist conservationist con con- Soil Conservation Service conducted the meeting lIe He said the purpose purpose pur pose of the meeting was to obtain statements statements state state- ments from the public not to debate the Issues at hand L. L Y Y manager of the Uintah Uintah Uin Uin- tah Water Conservancy District outlined ed the proposed features of the project MR said the principle features of the project are a multipurpose multi pur pose reservoir at Trout Creek flood protection protection pro pro- municipal water a permanent fisheries conservation pool and irrigation irrigation irrigation tion storage in this acre foot res ress Dikes and stream bank revetment at critical points along Ashley Creek will protect the Vernal City culinary pipe pipelines pipelines pipelines lines and homes roads bridges and farmland in Ashley Valley TWO FLOOD retention dams one on the Coal Mine Basin wash and one on the Lapoint road wash will protect the Maeser Maesel area from floods Consolidation and lining of the Ashley Upper and Highline canals with pressure pressure pres pres- sure pipelines to serve Ashley Valley lands with irrigation water System improvement improvement im im- im provement t of Ashley Valley Reservoir Reservoir Reservoir Reser Reser- voir Company canal and the Mosby canal are included in the project A small regulating reservoir at Julius Park for forthe forthe forthe the Mosby Irrigation Company is included ed in the plan ALL OF the statements made at the meeting were in favor of the project Mayor Alvin Kay of Vernal City said additional culinary water from Trout Creek has been planned for many years He lie also said that the overall environmental environmental environ environ- mental impact of the project would be favorable to the area MELVIN J J. J Burke county commissioner commis representing Uintah County said this project is a must to protect property and lives in Ashley Valley Gordon Harmston director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources said that the project had been evaluated by the Utah Fish and Game Department and the Utah Department of Water Resources Resources Re Re- sources and that the state of Utah endorsed endorsed endorsed en en- the project LARRY WILSON of the Fish and Game Department said angler days use of the Trout Creek area would increase by per cent as a result of the construction construction construction tion of the reservoir He lIe pointed out that the stream fishing in Ashley Creek below below be be- low the dam would be improved by the regulated Others making statements in favor of the project were DeVon McKee representing representing representing the Uintah Basin Soil Conservation Conservation Conservation Conser Conser- District Dee Jenkins and Dave i Jr 1 I j Jj J 1 4 pictures show damage caused by Ashley Creek flooding during the heavy run off in June of 1968 representing the Ashley Valley Valley Val Vat ley Icy Water Users Buell Bennett representing renting Vernal City Lyman Merkley Berkley representing several wildlife groups Dwight representing the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce and Bob Nielson of the Utah State Department Department Depart Depart- ment of Fish and Game A. A R. R McCONKIE E supervisor of Ashley Ashley Ashley Ash- Ash ley National Forest said there were some adverse effects of the project to national nation al forest lands lIe He pointed out that Trout Creek was vas a water influence zone on the Red Cloud Loop Road and there will be considerable travel by tourists and re re- creationists in the future He Ire said that the project will not fully meet the requirements of the Forest Service that projects be pleasing maintain satisfactory water levels during the tourist season preserve pre serve natural beauty and maintain a forested appearance of the area L. L Y Y said it is unrealistic to be critical of the area on Trout Creek and not be critical of draw draw- down areas on Flaming Gorge Strawberry Strawberry Strawberry Straw Straw- berry and many other heavily used recreation recreation recreation re re- re- re creation reservoirs in this state The reservoir would inundate acres providing acre feet of water storage storage storage stor stor- age with purchase of the lower 2500 feet by the Utah Fish Game Division for fisheries Project cost would be 3 million with assistance from the federal federal fed fed- eral government |