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Show Conservancy District Wants Piece of Little Dell Dam Pie alt ake Sri bane By Jim Woolf Tribune Environmental Writer The Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District would like to be a participant in the proposed Little Dell Dam in Parleys Canyon. Robert Hilbert, general manager of the conservancy district, said in an interview that water from Little Dell would ease his agency's heavy reliance on surplus water from a reliance endanSalt Lake City gering the districts ability to borrow money for such things as new pipelines, pumping stations and storage reservoirs. The conservancy district provides water to all of the Salt Lake Valley except Salt Lake City and parts of the east bench. What we have for sale is a product that can be taken away from us at any particular time . . . People dont lend you millions of dollars on the basis of payments because of water supplies," said Mr. Hubert. The approximately 5,500 acre feet of water generated each year by the Little Dell Dam wouldnt completely solve the conservancy districts problems, but it would help, he said. An acre foot is the amount it takes to cover an acre of land with a foot ) gaUons. of water, about 32-- from the Central Utah Project. That water has not yet arrived and may not arrive for another decade. Hat in Hand "Its frustrating to be 28 years with your hat in your hands, out in November 12, 1982 the hall, waiting for a firm supply of water, said Mr. Hilbert. Page One In addition to being frustrating, Mr. Hilbert said the water supply situation is worrying the major who lend the lus. This occurred during the Wall Street investors district money for conservancy 1977. of drought needed improvements. Without a The conservancy district, created firm water supply, they are conin the 1950s to provide water for the cerned about the districts ability to rapidly expanding suburbs, found repay its debts during dry periods. at its birth that all the easUy He said the conservancy district accessible water was already was able to obtain a $21 5 million claimed. By drilling weUs and loan this year, but financial experts out the district exchanges, working that additional loans would has been able to obtain a firm warned be extremely ' difficult to obtain of of feet acre about 20,000 supply water about half of its needs. The until the district improves its water district reUes on Salt Lake Citys supply. Vaughn B. Wonnacott, general surplus from Metropolitan for the manager of Metropolitan, said his other 20,000 acre feet of water. agency is simply looking out for This heavy reliance on another Salt Lake Citys best interests by agencys surplus water was origi- getting involved in the Little Dell nally intended to be just a shortproject. The city is expected to term situation, since the conservan- grow dramatically during the next cy district anticipated in 1974 re- decade and the new residents will ceiving 50,000 acre feet of water need additional water, he said. 5, Keeping Pace If the conservancy district isnt successful at expanding its water supply, Mr. Hilbert said it wUl have serious problems financing several major projects scheduled for 1984 or 1985. Without these improvements, expansion of the water system cant keep pace with growth in the county. It would mean we may have to restrict the water we market. That would slow building in the vaUey. It could bring buUding to a halt, warned Mr. Hilbert. Under the present plan, water generated by the Little DeU Dam belongs to the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City. This is an independent agency created by the city to obtain additional water supplies for the city. Joseph Novak, attorney for Metropolitan, said he is sympathetic to the conservancy districts needs for additional water supplies but said the Little DeU Dam is a logical project" for MetropoUtan. I guess deep down I feel it would be better if they (the conservancy Friday Morning, Section 'L district) found an alternative solution. We ought to work at finding that solution, said Mr. Novak. Official Sponsor Since Metropolitan is already the of the water official sponsor project, the conservancy district cant get involved without its consent. Metropolitan has done an efficient job for over the years for Salt Lake City, obtaining rights to 61,700 acre feet of water each year. In normal years, the city needs only 20,000 to 25,000 acre feet of Metropolitans water, leaving the rest for sale to agencies including the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District. During a drought, most of Metropolitans water is used by the city, leaving virtually no surp Besides, said Mr. Wonnacott, any extra water obtained by Metropoli- tan enhances the chances of the conservancy district being able to purchase surplus water. LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr., director of public utilities for Salt Lake City, said it's important that new sources of water be found for the conservancy district, whether from Little Dell or several other possible sources. Its to our best interest to cooperate, to guarantee our existing rights while trying to cooperate on new water, said Mr. Hooton. Even if everyone wanted to let the conservancy district take over the Little Dell project, he said there are "serious legal problems that must first be overcome. Thats because the city owns the rights to the water in the proposed dam and the Utah Constitition puts strict limits on what a city can do with its water. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is considering asking Congress for $80 million to construct the Little Dell Dam about two miles above the Mountain Dell Reservoir in Parleys Canyon. It would be a e structure, providing flood protection for Salt Lake County, a water supply and recreation. multi-purpos- Lane occasional tables 25 End, Hurricane Illumination oN sofa lamp, coffee tables 7.99 complete your seating arrangements handsomely- Choose from our entire stock on hand In Fur- Reg. 12.99 glowing flame safe from every draft inside the 13" tall glass cone on a polished copper base. A lamp to come home to. - niture (715). Housewares (761). Danube' 19.99 Blue Panasonic microwave Reg. 35.95 Also 25 off all 328 place setting. open stock, over lOO items available (some 5-p-c. 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