Show Treatment necessary for Ashley Springs Last of ofa a three part series concerning Ashley Valleys Valley's source of culinary water water- Ashley Springs One thing that is generally agreed upon among water officials In the valley Is the need for treatment of the water from Ashley the Springs areas area's main source of culinary water It is supported by Utah State Division of Health's bacteriologic data on Ashley Springs from 1977 to 1980 which indicates the presence of bacteria In a number of raw water samples The presence of bacteria in the samples and the high rate of travel from the sink to the spring shown by a adye adye dye test conducted In 1967 suggests a alack alack lack of natural filtration in the aquifer supplying the spring using chlorination alone as in the present wate system will not insure the removal or kill of all potential pathogenic organism found in surface waters reports a study by Horrocks and Carollo engineers In 1980 Previous studies made by the US Geological Survey have classified Ashley Springs as asa asa a surface source Another problem facing the public en en- en entities titles Is that according to a study of Ashley Springs done by Hill Boise Idaho engineering firm the municipal and Industrial MI water demand in Ashley Valley is expected to at least double In the next decade and approximately triple by the year 2000 Based on present loss and use the recognized water rights held by the theA A Ashley hley Valley water system are not ade- ade adequate adequate quate to meet the anticipated municipal and Industrial needs of the thc valley reports Hill The study suggests that raw water from all major sources considered Red Fleet Ashley Creek and Ashley Springs could be treated to meet meetor meetor or exceed present Utah Division of Health standards For Ashley Springs because of its tur- tur turbidity turbidity during the fall of the year com com- complete complete treatment is required if used on a year round basis Historical flow records Indicate that in a normal year the flow from the spring may be adequate to meet the an an- an anticipated demands through 2000 says the report For the most part low spring flow occurs during low demand An appropriate water exchange agreement would be necessary to allow the entire flow of the spring to be diverted for MI 1111 use says the report The Uintah Basin Fly Fishers and the Bonneville Chapter of the American Fisheries Society vigorously oppose diverting all the spring for Ml MI water because it would significantly reduce the flow In Ashley Creek jeopardizing the Brown Trout fishing Continued on page 3 Springs Continued from page 1 In all likelihood during a dry year MI demand could exceed the spring flow during the months of April and May says the Ifill report Because of the problems with the spring flow and turbidity Vernal City entered into contract with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to build a treatment plant at the Docs Doc's Beach area north of Vernal The Uintah Water Conservancy District board will review with the board the preliminary design of the plant Thursday of this week The preliminary design will Viii treat 15 million gallons of water a day with a possibility of up to 30 million gallon a aday aday day Cost of treatment Is estimated at 26 per foot acre The Aqueduct which will transport water from Red Fleet Reser voir is under construction and the plant and Reach Two of the aqueduct will be completed in April of 1985 Construction of the plant will begin next spring According to Lawrence Uin Uin- Uin Uintah tah Water Conservancy District manager the State Board of Health has not determined whether a direct filtration tion without settling pools or conven- conven conventional conventional treatment Is required at the treat treat- treatment ment plant Total project cost as estimated by Hill approaches 6 million at the theDoe's Does Docs Beach site as opposed to the 8 million estimate at Ashley Springs Spring The Ashley Valley Water and Sewer Improvement District has purchased about four acres In the mouth or of Ashley Canyon to construct an estimated 4 million treatment plant Which proposed treatment plant site is the most feasible remains to be proven and has been argued between the two en- en entities entitles titles but surely when General William WilliamN N Ashley entered the valley In 1825 on ona ona a trapping exhibition he couldn't have realized the controversy his namesake would cause cause in the valley |