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Show 12 ' Wednesday, January 10, 2007 Vernal Express W $3Li . MiK fir m . - "5i ' ' 1 : : ' -.m,-.... ' Deep snow at Little Brush Creek trail - From the mountains to the fields this .iaj.'.,,. . , . f -V". . . . . , .,-,11. "Ml i 11 1 " " V. -. SNOW SURVEY AND WATER SUPPLY FOR THE UINTAH BASEST Contact: USDA NRCS Ed Whicker 722-4621 x 124 (Natural Resources Conservation Service) Monday, January 8, 2007 SNOTEL SI TE Eleva- Average Snow Water Content tion Drainage (feet) Yearly (inches of water) 30 Year of Max FY 2005 FY2QQ6 FY2QQ7 Average Average TROUT CREFK 9,400 11.2 9.7 3.0 4.7 4.6 102 Ashley Creek HOLK IN-ROCK 9,150 7.3 4.3 4.0 4.5 "5 150 Beaver Creek (North Slope) . BcKERSON PARK 9.1SO 8.3 S.O 1.5 3.5 3.2 109 Sheep Creek (North Slope) K1NC5SCABIN 8.730 11.4 11.1 2.7 T5 T5 66 Brush Creeks t LAKE FORK BASIN l l.lOO 23.8 13.2 12.2 T1 IT"? "55 Lake Fork (N. of Moon Lake) FIVE POINTS LAKE 1 1 .OOO 18.5 16.3 9.9 Tb Tf lOO Yellowstone River BROWN DUCK 10,600 20.1 18.4 11.7 T& A 94 Lake Fork (W. of Moon Lake) CHEPKTA 10,300 14.6 17.9 63 T5 65 120 Whiterocks River LAKE FORK 1 10,200 13.2 13.2 l T3. 6A 85 Yellowstone E. of Moon Lake) TRIAL LAKE 9.MiO 26.5 14.8 17.8 1L7 50 Duchesne River MOSBYMIN. 9.5O0 133 13.4 T5 VO T5 1 Whiterocks & Moshy INDIAN CANYON 9.IOO 1 1.9 10.2 47 49 9t Strawherry & Argyle Creek STRAWBERRY DIV. 8.4O0 18.7 10.4 9.3 5 8 65 Strawherry . DANIELS-STRAW- 8,(KK) 16.7 10.6 10.9 72 BERRY Strawberry CURRANT CREEK 8,000 10.6 6A Tl Tti T5 7S Currant Cr. & Strawberry ROCK CREEK 7.9O0 8?7 6.4 "5 Tl Us Rock Creek ; EAST WILLOW CREEK 8.250 8.3 5.8 1.2 ZA 33 73 Willow Creek (Rook Cliffs) PRO VISIONAL DATA I ROM SNOW PILLOWS AT SNOTEL SITES. SUBJECT TO REVISION REVI-SION -M- Missing (ISSN 0892-1091) Publish ev ery Wednesday for $26 per year in the shopping area and $42 per year out out of the shopping area within the state and $ 16 per year out of state within the USA by the Vernal Express Publishing Company, 54 North Vernal Avenue, Vernal, Utah 84078. Periodical postage paid at Vernal, Utah, 84078 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to VERNAL EXPRESS, P.O Box 1000, Vernal, Utah 84078. Steven R. Wallis Editor and Publisher Mary Bernard Writer Janine Shannon Writer Elizabeth Goode Writer Casey Christensen Writer Sarah Forsgren Writer Tonya Harmer Legals, Obit, Classifieds Patty John Proofreader Jennifer Downard AdsLayout Heather Crosby AdsLayout Jacque Hobbs Advertising Alayna Blackburn Advertising Harriet Harding. Circulation & Billing : Phone: 435-789-3511 FAX: 453-789-8690 Website: www.vernal.com email: editorvernal.com . DEADLINES News.. , ........Friday 5p.m. Display Advertising .Friday 5 p.m. Classified Advertising Friday 12 Noon Public Notices Friday 12 Noon head north of Vernal. January finds the Basin blanketed in snow. The Yurt We rented the Limber Flag Yurt for 2 nights, from the Forest Service. The description says that it is a 2-hour trek in, but it takes us 3 hours of steady but not-too-hard work. We weave through aspen groves, cross sagebrush valleys, and plunge into coniferous woods. As we emerge from the last stretch of spruce-fir forest, we are greeted by the welcome sight of the yurt, lit up in the afternoon sunshine. Limber Flag Yurt is a simple circular tent of canvas erected erect-ed on a wooden frame, with a skylight in the middle of the vaulted ceiling. It is about 20 feet in diameter, with a set of bunkbeds (with mattresses!) on either side, and a wood-burning stove at one end. A propane cooking stove, with pots, pans, and cooking utensils comprises the "kitchen." A propane lantern lan-tern furnishes dim light, and the glass window of the wood-burning wood-burning stove serves the same function as a television set It is a spartan place, but fortunately people who cross-country ski in don't have fancy needs. Grizzly Ridge Yurt is similar. Former guests in the yurt have supplied the library, which is contained in two cardboard card-board boxes. Titles include: "National Geographic Adventure; Secrets of the Southwest" (not secret anymore, any-more, thanks a lot) Year snow report is in NRCS measures from remote SNOTEL sites are forecasting substantial stream flow potential poten-tial for the coming irrigation season. Ashley Water Users indicate that "we will be in decent shape for next summer. We are slightly above average on both precipitation precipi-tation and snow water equivalent." equiva-lent." That is, as of Jan. 4, 2007. Snow Water Equivalent (S WE) measures the amount of water contained within the snowpack. For example, 36 inches of powdery pow-dery snow contains 10 percent snow-water density or roughly 3.6 inches of water. Snow density reflects snow depth, which is likely to vary over time with settling, wind packing, or melting and refreez-ing. refreez-ing. To determine the depth of snow using snow water equivalent equiva-lent and density, use the following follow-ing formula: SWE -r Density Snow Depth. Snow density is written in decimal form, e.g., 25 0.25. Snow Water Equivalent levels for the Green River Basin sites for Jan. 4 were 3.0 (or 81 percent of average) at the Trout Creek snotel site and 2.7 (or 84 percent of average) at the King's Cabin snotel site. In the Duchesne River location loca-tion Jan. 4 SWE measures were 6.3 (72 percent of average) at the Chepeta snotel site and 5.2 (83 percent of average) at the Mosby Mountain snotel location. Snow depth and densities change daily dai-ly this time of year. Information presented here can be accessed on-line at http:www.ut.nrcs. usda.govsnotel.html. Ute election Changes are in store for the Ute Tribe as last Thursday its members approved changes to the tribe's four-year financial plan. The changes passed by a vote of 584 in favor, 109 opposed and two spoiled ballots to approve Ordinance 06-005 to enhance the membership dividend program, pro-gram, diversify Tribal invest Notes from the Uintah Mountain Club J? j5 nil M " "Good Time Crossword Puzzles" (most of them, mercifully, merci-fully, still blank) "The Milagro Beanfield War" and our own personal favorite, "The Best of Robert Service", tales of the wintry frozen North. Like "The Ballad of Blasphemous Bill," ending with, "I often think of poor old Bill - and how hard he was to saw." Most important, was the official offi-cial U.S. Forest Service Limber Flag Yurt log, with all of the entries pf various guests at the yurt. Each contained one version ver-sion or another of, "Thank you, Forest Service, for making this possible." The glow of Vernal was dimly visible far to the south, as darkness felL That night, and throughout through-out the next day and following night, a storm descends upon the mountains. -When morning came, we ski out and around for a few hours, but as we return, the storm is intensifying. The BLM to host public hearing on use of helicopter in wild horse gatherings The Utah BLM will play host to a public hearing at the Vernal BLM Field Office to discuss dis-cuss the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles in managing manag-ing wild horses and burros on Utah's public lands. The hearing hear-ing is Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6 p.m. at 170 S. 500 East, Vernal. Vernal is the site of Utah's only hearing this year to take comments on this issue, and is required by Federal Regulation to take place annually within the state where management occurs. "Using helicopters and other advanced equipment is crucial in maintaining safety and quality qual-ity in wild horse management," said Gus Warr, Utah Wild Horse and Burro Lead. "We have found the use of helicopters helicop-ters is the most humane method meth-od in gathering horses from the open range and remote mountain moun-tain areas where they live." Utah's current wild horse population is about 2,700, but drought conditions cause limited lim-ited forage and water availability, availabil-ity, which reduces the number of animals that can be supported support-ed on the land. The Utah BLM gathers an average of 300 horses hors-es annually from public lands. Gathering excess horses helps control horse populations, which can increase from 15 to 20 percent each year. Contract and BLM specialists special-ists plan to start gathering and removing excess wild horses in February from various herd areas across the state. makes financial changes ments and modify key assumptions assump-tions of the Financial Plan. The election repealed five prior ordinances and extends the employment of John Jurrius until 2009. It also gives permission to withdraw the Tribe's Water Settlement funds from accounts managed by the federal government. Those voting for the change hissing of the snow and the buffeting buf-feting of the wind against the yurt's walls continued unabated unabat-ed into the third day, when we were to ski out By that time, the weather conditions had produced a crusty snow, not unlike polar pack ice, that had to be busted through by brute force. Our tracks from skiing in were completely obliterated by the blowing snow, so we were fateful for the blue diamonds that showed us we were still on the true path. Snowdrifts that were uneiiooaahn, a blocked our path, and haA n 1 punched through. The official description says that it takes one hour to descend the three and one-half miles of trail, given eood am ditions. Instead, it took us four and one-half hours to erfrS down the mountain to our car "mazing how happy flu fw iav r me llrst sight of the car can make a nerarin iw v . . Although gather locations may change because of available water and forage conditions, herd management areas slated for removal in 2007 include: Hill Creek (Uintah County), Mt. Elinor (Iron County)! Choke Cherry (Beaver County), Swasey (Millard County) and North Hills (Washington and Iron Counties) Herd Management Areas. The BLM has removed more than 10,300 wild horses and 225 burros from Utah's rangelands since the government's first round-ups from public lands in 1975. Most of these animals have been adopted locally (over 6,100), while the remainder of the animals are shipped to the eastern states for adoption. Utah's 2007 satellite adoptions will start in April and continue con-tinue monthly throughout the state. Adoption locations are tentatively set for Vernal, West Jordan, Manti and Elko, NV. Daily adoptions are ongoing and available at the Delta Wild Horse & Burro Facility, and the Salt Lake Wild Horse & Burro Center near Herriman. For additional information about the upcoming public hearing or future wild horse and burro adoptions, visit our web site at www.ut.blm.gov. You may also contact the Delta Wild Horse & Burro Facility (435) 864-4068 600 N. 350 W., Delta, Utah, or the Salt Lake Wild Horse & Burro Center (877) 224-3956 8605 W. 12600 S., Herriman, Utah. believe that it will mean more money in their pockets in the way of dividends. It rescinded the $200 dividend camp payment pay-ment to tribal members. The ordinance allows for a $62,500 a month payment to Jurrius for his services. The ordinance become effective immediately despite some members of the tribe boycotting the vote and concern about whether a tribal election can address more than one ordinance at a time. The election came on the heels of the Tribe signing a new exploration and development develop-ment agreement with three oil and gas producers to develop 146,000 acres on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation. The new Exploration and Development agreement is between the Ute Tribe and Bill Barrett Corporation, Newfield Production and Dominion Production. Bill Barrett Corporation Cor-poration will drill a minimum of five deep test wells in 2007 and eight deep test wells each subsequent year. Newfield will drill a minimum of 12 wells per year. Shelter Continued from A! ing in various stages of completion. comple-tion. Weathers said, "The Homeless Coordinating Committee was formed to end rural homelessness but then the boom arrived" and the problem worsened. Even with the efforts of counties and communities, com-munities, affordable housing remains unlikelv for many residents. It takes time to build affordable housing. Emergency shelter esti- mated b Walsh Weathers M hotel stays provided by Hcc indicate a 4.2 percent between 2005 and 2006 in Vernal and an 8.5 percent rise m Roosevelt Their informal survey of 10 Vernal now , A ,A ftf found at least 70 percent their rooms are dedicated to oil and gas employees. Future options that include hotel space for emergency shelter will be unlikely. |