Show Ashley Springs still viable source of drinking water By Steven Wallis Express ss News Editor This Is the second of a three part series concerning Ashley Valleys Valley's source of drinking water Ashley Springs A heavily debated question concerning Ashley Springs is whether there is enough flow in the springs to provide future drinking water to Ashley Valley At least one board of water officials the Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement Im- Im Improvement provement District A board thinks there is As of Wednesday last week they approved the purchase of about four acres of property and rights rights- way of-way at the mouth of Ashley Canyon for fora fora a treatment plant Cost of the purchase of the land Jand and ana way rights is The land was purchased from Duane Johnson For the present time said Larry Hacking the board feels they have enough water rights in the spring to ser ser- service service vice the district But Hacking said his personal opinion di disagreed agreed with the boards board's opinion con con- concerning concerning the amount of water they have available at the spring He said he didn't believe there would be enough for f use unless something was done We are making progress with the canal companies to purchase water from them Hacking said The purchase of water from the canal companies would not involve the owner owner- ownership ship of shares in the canal companies in that the district is only interested in buy buy- ing buying the water and not the controlling of the canal company Hacking said Another alternative should there not be enough water would be to have some of th the districts district's feet acre of Red Fleet water if that transfer is finalized treated In Vernal City's treatment plant on Does Docs Beach Hacking said Another alternative would be the development of the Trout Creek Reser- Reser Reservoir Reservoir voir which would regulate the flows of Ashley Creek Hacking said the board has discussed that idea but taken no ac- ac action action tion on it it The Trout Creek Reservoir was proposed to be built several years ago but was abandoned because of th the lack of funds and some structure pro problems lems The viability of Ashley Springs as a source of culinary water to the area is solidified by its past record of supplying over a billion gallons of water yearly since It was first established In 1965 But there are arc several times In the springs spring's history which have left ques- ques questions questions in some peoples people's minds concerning the flow lt March of 1978 flows below the spring v Includes Ashley Creek were measured at 32 second feet by the US Geologic Geological l Survey During that same month Vernal City diverted lOa gallons of water from the mouth of the spring Average flow from the spring Is estimated at 30 second feet During August this year 2352 million gallons of water was used by local water entities Vernal 1285 million gallons Maeser million gallons Jensen 83 million gallons and A 51 million gallons I know they dont don't have enough water in Ashley Springs said GC Anderson supervisor of the hydrology In the local US Geological Survey Office concern concern- concerning ing a treatment plant at Ashley Springs But even if they didn't it is foolish to depend on only one source of water he added People seem to think the spring is sacred Having an alternative water source is the basis for the building of a treatment plant to service Vernal City on Docs Doc's Beach From that location water can be drawn from Ashley Springs Red Fleet Reservoirs But still the cheapest water is from Ashley Creek which is why Vernal City has stipulated that the primary source of water to the treatment plant be Ashley Springs Water from ted Red Fleet Reservoir will willbe willbe be used when the water becomes turbid usually duing the sp spring ing runoff But still the area has to pay for Red Fleet whether they use the water wain or not said Karl city councilman ey 1 i P MSS m mr r u uA i A tJ 4 s r w k Z t t tt t I t tZ j lOCAL YOUTH gets a glassful of water without a second thought A clear glass of spring water I has always been a thing taken for granted in the Vernal area h 4 y t t |