OCR Text |
Show Visit us on the World Wide Web http:' www ecprogress com Emery County Home Grown News Since 1900 Tbesday, April 16, 2002 Volume 102 Castle Dale, Utah LoonGj), dlirj soairaflinnKSir Dovas Number 16 50$ INSIDE Drought causes restrictions on secondary irrigation system The latest predictions for Emery County show that we will have about of our normal stream flow. The Natural Resources Conservation Service recently released the April 2002 Stream Flow Forecast Probability Chart for Utah. It shows that the expected stream flow forecast for Huntington Creek is 48 percent of average, Joes Valley Reservoir In Flow is 48 percent of average, Perron Creek is 54 percent of average and Muddy Creek is 55 percent of average. These stream flow forecasts are based upon several factors. Among the one-ha- lf most important of these factors is the snow pack that is present on the snow measuring sites (Snowtel Sites) on the date of April 1 . The snow water equivalent (inches of water in the snow pack) is compared from year to year and used to help predict the runoff and stream flow. This year on April 1, the snow water equivalents (SWT) were the sixth or an example, on the Seeley Creek Station; the SWE was 9.70 inches this year. The lowest ever recorded was in 1977 when the SWE was only 7.2 inches. Other years that were lower 2002 include than 1934, 1956,1959,1981 and 1999. Utah is the second driest state in the union. We had a very dry year in 1999, and a very dry low years in 2000-200- 1 year again in 2002. Four years in a row of below average water means that Emery County is in for a dry year, one of the driest ever. We can expect to have only about one half of our normal stream flow. The cities and the Castle Valley Special Sendee District have been very concerned with the low water predic- warn all users that restrictions will have to be imposed. These restrictions will be on all of the secondary irrigation systems in the county. At a minimum they will curtail the use of any w ater during the middle of the day. No watering from 9 a.m.- - 6 p.m. will be allowed. In some cities you will only be allowed to water on two days during the week. Everyone needs to contact their city to see what restrictions apply in their area. Darrel Leamaster, the manager of tions. They have decided to turn the secondary irrigation systems on, but Continued on PAGE 2A. Governor plans Emery County visit BRIEFLY Forest service to close roads Governor Mike Leavitt and his cabi- Over the next month, the FerronPrice Ranger District ... will be dosinggutes on key roads ,r. ... f v- - Monument meeting draws vocal crowd ungated forest roads if their vehicle is rutting the road. The closure applies to any motorized vehicle except snowmobiles operating on sufficient snow. Once the roads have dried sufficiently to withstand vehicle travel, they will be opened. The following roads will be closed: Granger Ridge Road; Monument Peak Road; Millers Flat Road; Cottonwood Canyon Road; East Mountain Road; Nuck Woodward Road; and Ferron Mayfield Road. These closures are authorized under 36CFR 261.50(b) signed April 1, 1999. Individuals needing to access private property, irrigation systems or who have other needs will be authorized to open the gate after contacting the Ferron Price Ranger District. Call the district at for the current status of roads you may be planning to Hundreds of people young and old gathered together on April 1 3 for the Third Annual Southeastern Utah OHV Club Poker Ride. The event which started out as just an idea, has now grown into what is looked forward to every year by people and families all across Utah. The Poker Ride is not to be confused with a race. It is a game and the object is to re- By PATSY STODDARD Editor Another in the series of public meetings to discuss the monument proposal was held on April 10 at the Museum of the San Rafael. The meeting was sponsored by the Emery County Public Lands Council, the Emery County Fhrm Bureau and the Emery County Economic Development Council. Dennis Worwood, chairman of the lands council welcomed the public and introduced POOR COPY to protect the roadbed during spring snow melt. The purpose is to reduce erosion and maintenance costs. The unseasonably warm weather and lack of snow has allowed access to many parts of the forest normally closed by snow. Some damage has already been found where vehicles attempt to get around snowdrifts. The closures will be in effect where gates have been installed. However, we encourage the public to avoid using other a.m.-12:3- tion for public comments. The council will compile the comments, formulate a proposal and make a recommendation to the county commission on how to proceed. Worwood said they need the comments to be specific regarding lan Continued on PAGE 4 A. Baseball teams battle it out in Castle Dale 7A. net will once again bring state government to residents outside the Wasatch Front for the fifth road trip to rural Utah. State agency directors or their designees, representing every agency in state government will visit Emery County on Wednesday. Residents are invited to a town meeting to discuss issues with the governor and directors. Cabinet members will participate in various community activities, including serving dinner to senior citizens at the senior center, visiting the proposed Elk Ranch operation, touring the new county jailcourt complex, and talking with students in the Emery County School District. At 1 1 a.m. Governor Leavitt will arrive in Castle Dale. Upon arrival the governor will teach a history class at Emery High. At 1 1:30 a.m. First Lady Jacalyn S. Leavitt will read to Castle Dale Elementary students. 0 From 1 1 p.m. cabinet members will participate in various community activities. Ameetingwithlocal officials at the Wedge overlook will be held at 3 p.m. At 5:30 p.m. there will be a town meeting at the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale. the speakers. Worwood spoke of the history of the Sw'ell and the ongoing efforts to protect the area started in the 30s with talk of making the Swell a national park at that time. Proposals in the 70s looked at designating the Swell as a National Conservation Area. Wilderness proponents have looked at the Swell and wilderness inventories have been conducted by various wilderness groups. A different variation of the NCA was submitted in the year 2000 and was voted on and defeated. Worwood spoke of the possibilities opened up with the Bush administration in office. He described the Swell as being a cherished area. The objective was to partner with President Bush and the Department of the Interior from the beginning of the process. The monument proposal would state the objectives and concerns of the county. The monument proposal would be similar to the legislation introduced in 1998 which was discussed widely in the cities. It is a somewhat familiar starting point for discussion of the monument. Worwood stated their objective in holding these meetings is to bring in people who can bring in good informa- Emery vs. Carbon 72 ceive the highest poker hand. use. The more tickets you have the Funds awarded for rural projects better your chances become. Fourteen entities, primarily in rural Utah, will receive funds to help pay for local improvement projects. The states Permanent Community Impact fund Board approved 48.5 million in grants and loans for projects including tower in Carbon a to and County, purchase buildings to expand the countys road shop and other operations, and the renovation of the Rio Thefire-traini- Photos by Brandy Fuller Lands issues discussed during meeting By PATSY STODDARD Editor The Emery County Public Lands Council met in their regularly scheduled meeting on April 9. Those present were Chairman Dennis Worwood, Craig Johansen, Kirk Johansen, Vemell Rowley, Dickson Huntington, Joe Fielder, Tom Roush, Wes Curtis and Val Payne. Commissioners Randy Johnson and Drew Sitterud were in attendance but had to leave early to attend the Utah Association of Counties meetings. Commissioner Ira Hatch was attending UAC meetings as well. The first item on the agenda was the approval of the Jan. 26 meeting minutes from the public information meeting. The minutes from the March 12 meetingwere also approved. The first item on the agenda was the subcom- mittee reports. Craig Johansen was first with the water report. He said on April 1 the streamflow from Electric Lake was 45 percent of normal. Huntington Creek is 48 percent of normal with 24, 0(X) acre feet of water and Joes Valley 48 percent of normal with 28,000 acre feet. The Muddy is 55 percent of normal with 11,000 acre feet. In the first seven days of April the snowpack at Mammoth Reservoir went from 33 inches to 21.9. This is approximately d of the snowpack without a runoff. In the Red Pine area the snow-pac- k went from 30.9 to 23 inches. The Price San Rafael drainage is 41 percent of normal. Bills Camp is 41 percent of normal. It needs to rain for a month. Water will become very valuable In the next one-thir- days and thats the good news. All the water legislation has been passed and signed. With the forfeiture bill, the state of Utah takes the water back and reallocates it, said Johansen. Other water legislation included the sell of water shares up and down the river by shareholders. The shareholder makes application through the irrigation company. The irrigation company writes the application and it is sent to the state engineer to ask for those changes to be made. The chairman for the recreation subcommittee, Roush said they had attended the public meeting on the closure of Millsite. Curtis reported that the heritage subcommittee is planning a heritage workshop In conjunction with 60 Continued on PAGE 2A. 4 l ater in Helper. Orangeville City received a $120,000 grant to purchase two new trucks and a backhoe. The Community Impact Board is a program of the Utah Division of Community IXvelopment. MEETINGS Upcoming meetings in the Emery County area include: Governors Meeting Governor Mike Leavitt will be in attendance at a town meeting Wednesday, 5:30 p.m., at the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale. Huntington City The Huntington City Council will meet In their regular meeting at the Huntington City Hall on Wedneday at 6:30 p.m. |