OCR Text |
Show THE Area Formers Describe Problems To Officials Drought ; A State drought committee heard little to cheer them when they visited Box Elder County recently to hear assessments of the situation by area farmers and ranchers. One western Box Elder farmer told the committee which flew over part of the area on their way to Tremonton: "When you flew over ... we could see dust where you went by." That was one of the few humorous moments at the hearing. One after the other, western county ranchers made their way to the microphone to describe the situation to a committee of state officials led by Lieutenant Governor David Monson. John Spackman, chairman of the West Box Elder Soil Conservation District, said most everyone in the area is out of feed and ranges depleted by a second year of drought offer little relief. "Where do you go with the cattle?" he asked, rhetorically. "We have some domestic wells in the Park Valley area going dry already. We depend on our domestic wells," he noted. Hay production last year in the area was down to 50 - 60 percent of normal. Farmers in the Park Valley area depend largely on runoff from the Raft River range, but Spackman pointed out that "there will be no water coming down this year, there just will not be any runoff." The last "real good storm" in the area was 18 months ago, he added. Emergency feed programs made available when the area was declared a drought diaster area have "been the only thing holding some together," the rancher added. Gary Rose, a rancher and Park Valley's LDS bishop, said he had to actually use a patrol in a meadow to put out a fire thai was burning underground. Rose called for three types of assistance from the state committee: -- assistance in conserving available irrigation water by putting more of it into sprinkler irrigation systems. And development of more wells. Rose noted that in the 1934 drought "very few of the wells had any water in 1 . ;j v; 1 1 r them." This year's drought has already ..STATE SENATOR Miles (Cap) Kerry (at left) and Lieutenant Governor David Monson listen intently as area farmers describe drought conditions and what help they need. END END Of squeeze forces more and more farmers to dump their animals on the market. -- some assistance in "cold, hard cash." Rose noted that depressed cattle prices for the past few years already had many ranchers in trouble. --elimination of red tape in order to "expedite" available government relief programs. A number of ranchers and farmers complained that government red tape often means a delay of one to one and a half years in getting programs going. Dave Eliason of Snowville told committee members that no rain fell there from October through December, with .20 falling in January, .14 in February and .64 in March. During the same period a year earlier, about seven inches fell. Ranchers in the area usually turn their animals out on grazing lands about April 15. But, Eliason said there is "just nothing there." Eliason said wind robs the soil of moisture and cold nights bind irrigation pipes up until noon the next day before they can be moved. Winn Henry, a Blue Creek dry farmer, said Box Elder County could be headed for one of the worst fall grain crops ever. "If we don't get rain by June 1 there won't be a combine pulled in the field," he said. Henry said wells which were pumping at 250 feet, are down to 300 feet. Henry said farmers don't have much to fall back on because they've been selling livestock over the past years and "haven't got paid for it." He warned, "We're going to have economic problems starting in towns if we don't make it on the farms." Commissioner Ted Burt, a farmer, complained that thousands of acre feet of water have gone down the Bear Lake into the Great Salt Lake. "Yet, until just a short time ago, they were pumping water out of Bear Lake to make power," he said. Burt c said power accounts for only five percent of Utah Power & Light Company's power. hydro-electri- 1 I SPECIAL SPECIALS MEN 'S & LADIES 1 & ! 1 LADIES & BLOUSES Permits Needed State Fire Season Will Begin The Utah State Forestry and Fire Control has announced the start of the statewide fire season, according to Box Elder County Fire Warden Lloyd Robinette. The season starts at midnight on May 1. Robinette emphasized that burning permits will be required when doing any open burning. A burning permit, which Robinette prefers to term a "fire location permit," can be obtained by calling the warden through the Box Elder Cdunty sheriff's office dispatch Any permit that is issued must comply with the State Health Department Clearing Index. When this index is below 500, no burning is allowed. Above 500, smoke dispersal is sufficient enough to allow burning, Robinette said. Because of extremely dry weather conditions, it has become necessary to begin the fire season earlier than in (257-5657- ). past years. As conditions warrant, throughout the fire season, additional regulations May 1 may have to be implemented. Future announcements will be made as to fire conditions throughout the state, as the summer progresses. According to Paul Sjoblom, state forester, "We must all strive to hold the level of d fires to a minimum, and save our range and forest lands from fire destruction." Due to the extremely dry weather conditions of the past few months. State Forestry personnel have announced the need to begin the fire season on May 1, 1977. Vegetation conditions are sufficiently dry for restrictions to be placed on open burning. Citizens are urged to abide by the burning permit policy in order to prevent the occurrence of damaging wildfires. The fire season will remain in effect until late fall. Should weather conditions become extremely dry during the fire season, additional precautions might need to be announced to d fire occurrence. reduce man-cause- man-cause- M..io 100 are with you your personal banker, we do more than our share to give you a full measure of individual attention. We go out of our way to give you personal service 100 of the time. I $00 PRICE EACH VALUES '2.98 1 He pointed out that supplementary waters from the Logan River and Black Smith Fork, for example, are needed to meet local water rights. As BOYS SHIRTS IpOES We TO YD. 108" GROUP 45" NYLON PIECE OUTING GOODS FLANNEL TRICOT $1167 U ( YD. ..... YD. BABY WEEK SPECIALS STILL IN EFFECT I Stock up now on most wonted infant at 10 & baby items SPECTACULAR SAVINGS I i DISCOUNT ' l ON SANDALS, IRRIGATION BOOTS, ' lvol SHOES, COWBOY BOOTS, GYM SHOES, PRO KEDS, does not include sale priced items ' FREE CHECKING WITH NO MINIMUM BALANCE REQUIRED HIGHER INTEREST ON SAVINGS ACCOUNTS EXTENDED HOURS TO 6 PM DAILY NEW SPRING ARRIVALS SWIM SUITS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY MODEST POPULAR STYLES PRICES USE YOUR r CONVENIENT if L TV) MASTER CHARGE T4 jazz H'buy'for cash and pay OR less BANK AMERICARD f 3 system. ft GROUP Page At the beginning of the meeting Gilbert Searle of the Soil Conservation Service painted a gloomy picture about area rivers. He said the Logan river, for instance, will flow at about only 34 percent of normal flow and the Little Bear at 18 percent. But Gilbert said "most of the reservoirs are in pretty good shape." Paul Holmgren, a Bear River Commission member, warned that state officials shouldn't get the idea that all is well along the Bear River canal reach- 30th GROUP MEN'S Paul Gillette state drough' fficial, pledged that officials woulu contact residents in Park Valley and Grouse Creek concerning culinary water problems within the week. Gillette said the state still has about half of a $500,000 appropriation left uncommitted which was provided to help fight drought problems. Ranchers and farmers from Cache, Rich, Weber and Davis counties also spoke at the meeting. Rich county ranchers also painted a gloomy picture. The manager of Des-ere- t Land and Livestock told state officials that one of the big problems this year will be combating tires which could destroy what grazing land is available. The Month Prices effective April 28, 29, GROUP TIMKS. AprU 28. 1977. J ed worse proportions. -- assistance in trying to keep foundation herds together as the cost PECIAIS.pt GEPHAIOT' 1 LKADKH-GAKLAM- STATE BANK TREMONTON, UTAH MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION |