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Show JUNE 10, 1994 VOL. IV NO. 23 There will be an open Public Meeting at the Beaver City Office on information. Right now the clean-up is voluntary, and cost-share funding is Thursday, June 16, at 8:00 P.M., to discuss the results to available. of a study of the pollution in Minersville Lake. The principal speaker, Dr. LaVere Merritt, a_ civil engineer and water quality specialist who teaches at B. Y. U,, will make recommendations _ relating to possible solutions to the pollution problem. "Studies are increasing our sensibility to the need for establishing a mandate Ray contract to Five County Association of Governments, headed up the study group. Water samples, taken at various stages of the streams as they descend into the lake, were analyzed and studied. The water enters the streams with little or no pollution, but picks up phosphorus and nitrogen on the descent to the lake. However, Dr. Merritt said the actual condition of the lake has be Macey, Color conducting this study is totally and completely separate from the task force assigned to study Wild and Scenic Rivers and Streams. Macey, the vice-chairman of the review committee, said, Dodge City News Photo/Sara Smith WATER SAMPLES & DATA - ARE THEY A FORERUNNER TO A FENCE FOR THE BEAVER RIVER? twenty years. is under a and Development Board, said the review committee Of 150 lakes studied throughout the _ state, Minersville Lake was rated in the top 20 having pollution problems. Over a one-year period water samples were monitored. who for Country Rural Conservation improved Merritt, data in the future, the 100 percent individual liability," Bradshaw said. cost effective," he said. Dr. But, if they want that cost responsibility will balance between recreational and commercial use. Although the study shows uncontrollable natural pollutants in the lake, a substantial amount of the controllable nutrients in the lake are directly related to agriculture. We need to weigh the benefits of creating a pristine condition at the lake, and see if it is use over the past The Clean Lakes Water Board was founded approximately two years ago in compliance with a request from the Utah State Department of Water Quality. At that time, Nick Dirkson represented the Five County Association of Governments on the board. He has recently been replaced in that capacity by Ken Sizemore. Representatives from the Beaver Soil Conservation District, Utah State Fish and Game, Forest Service, Minersville Irrigation Association, and local citizens make up _ the remainder of the board. Robin Bradshaw, who was assigned by Beaver City's former mayor Robert Lee as the Beaver representative to the board, has served as chairman for the past two years. Recommendations to be discussed at the June 16 meeting will be strictly on a volunteer basis. Bradshaw concedes that there may be some problem. The current visibility in Minersville Lake is to a depth of 8 feet. Officials conducting the study claim that eliminating 50 percent of the nutrient flow into the lake would increase that visibility to 15 feet. Bradshaw, a farmer, said, "I want to make it very clear that I am 100 percent against fencing the Beaver River. The best way to protect ourselves against ‘government mandates in the future may be to get involved and negotiate a reasonable. clean-up now while government funding is available." $40,000. seed money for two projects is available right now through George Hopkins at the Department of Agriculture in Salt Lake City. The approval of "319 money" on a cost share basis, with the government paying 60 "We are not going to mandate anything. The study is to determine the actual. condition and then review the recommendations from Water Quality." Merritt said the worst case scenario would be fencing portions of the Beaver River. Building dikes, planting grass in strategic locations to provide a natural filtering system, providing places for cattle to drink other than in the streams, are all easy and relatively inexpensive measures to improve the quality of the lake. With reasonable control recreation, fishing, boating, camping, and wildlife would benefit significantly. Dr. LaVere Merritt 378-6333 percent and the individual paying 40 percent, would allow the individual farmer ‘to use his own Robin Bradshaw 438-5195 labor and equipment toward his share of the contribution. "What scares me is that they already have their Ken Sizemore 673-3548 Harry Judd 538-6146 |
