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Show THE ZEPHYR JULY 1990 PAGE 23 c close to the original proposal, before all the recent add-on- s. And Just In case you mountain bikers are feeling left out they're giving you a Ranger Station at the Sllckrock Bike Trail. Your guess as to what a ranger station might be Castle Valley Inn for (fee collection?). When they do get around to doing the EA for this project, they are supposed to look Into alternative sites. If anyone thinks they know of a better site for a multi --building complex near Moab, please contact me. i 'M i -- Jack $ ff Campbell Damming Mill Creek Once again proposals to dam Mill Creek are being discussed by some of our local government agencies. Discussions begun last fall surfaced recently In meetings concerning development plans for the Mill Creek Parkway project running through Moab City. In order to be eligible for special funding, the Mill Creek Parkway project was claimed to be a flood control project This brought In the flood control folks who pointed out that hiking and biking trails and picnic areas, etc. would not do much for flood prevention. If anyone wants to do flood control for Mill Creek, some fairly large dams would be Involved. Possbly one large dam could be built below the confluence of left and right hand forks, backing water Into both canyons. Or dams In both forks. Or a combination of medium dams In the lower sections of the canyons with small check dams In most of the smaller side canyons all the way up the main drainage. The standard package of dam building benefits are being mentioned, ranging from flood control, to Increased water for Moab agriculture, to electrical generation, and to "recreational opportunities. Apparently some new federal funding sources have been created recently that could cover most of the building costs If certain sedimentation and salinity control criteria can be met Any large dam building projects need to be taken seriously. The dam builders have been having much more difficulty finding both locations and political approval for their schemes. We could use a few "friends of Mill Creek" to monitor these plans. If you might be Interested In helping out with this, please contact me at 259-51- 1 S"1 . ;4 9$ iv.i Relax in sophisticated comfort amidst some of the Canyonlands most splendid scenery. Seven rooms, most with fine indoor and private bath ($35-60outdoor dining for registered guests, six acres of orchard, lawns and fields ... full breakfast included in room ), rates. Featuring: THE GRANDVIEW HOT TUB Redrock to mountain top views' 15. .1 -- t a 'if i Jack Campbell BLM Grazing Seminar I would like to thank the folks over at Moab District BLM for the Riparian Area Seminar they put together last month. Surely one test of a successful seminar Is that one finds oneself using the Information long after the seminar was held. This has been the case for me. During the "classroom portion of the seminar, we learned how different natural ed stresses can cause stream bed damage and what changes can be made and that allow a stream to heal Itself. Old, destructive grazing practices were the major source of damage and erosion. On the afternoon field trip we were shown some of the specific techniques used to correct old damage. BLM has a demonstration project underway at Indian Creek, down by the Needles section of Canyon lands N.P. Beginnings of the healing process were visible even though the project was only a year or two old. The Increasing concern by BLM over the quality of OUR creek and stream areas Is certainly welcome news. Complete change from past abuse will not occur Immediately, but the momentum behind change (In the direction of land stewardship, rather than commodity extraction), has been noticeable for some time, and Is continuing. Chronic lack of staff and funding continues to Impede BLM attempts to Improve range conditions. Those of us concerned about "range (read "public land) conditions may want to find ways we can help BLM get more funding In this area. More money for conservation Improvements, Instead of money only for grazing Improvements. Since no user group benefits from low quality rangeland, all user groups can profit from Improvements. The possibility of competing user groups being In a wlnwln situation, rather than a wlnlose situation, Is exciting and makes change politically possible. We are speaking of change, however, and that Is somewhat disquieting for the ranchers who have enjoyed "more than equal status and the "single purpose use of most of the public lands for many years. We need to better understand their fears they are contending with many forces beyond their control (rain, cattle market prices, change In government rags., change In tax law, and simply feeling at the mercy of a changing bureaucracy). Supporting their families Is contingent on all of these variables working out OK each year; that's a lot of stress. The ranching community similarly needs to understand that some of the other user groups have had to suppress for years, their anger over the old, destructive grazing practices. This old, repressed anger can be triggered by minor events that symbolize the old, abusive grazing practices. Backpackers and hikers have been forced to walk and camp In excessive amounts of livestock manure, cope with livestock related Insects, drink polluted abuse of the country they love. Of course, theres water, and experience the latent anger. (And we've only mentioned the human side there are the plant and animal user groups who lived on the land before we made It "our land.) A seminar such as this can be an excellent place for understanding between the various user groups to Increase. For myself, the drive from Moab to the Indian Creek demonstration area with Hardy Redd, by Itself, made the day worthwhile. I hope to spend more time with him this summer. I am also looking forward to the next BLM seminar on grazing. Thanks again to the Moab District BLM for this "first" riparian zone seminar. Innkeepers: Eric and Lynn Forbes Thomson. CVSR Box 2602, Moab, Utah 84532. DON & KAY SWASEY man-induc- ; . i 'p 4 fj over-grazi- - i hop 57 North Main Moab, Utah 84532 Scrimshaw Engraving Jewelry Turquoise Dinosaur Bone Souvenirs Jewelry Repairs Let us be your silversmith Custom Orders Welcome 1101-259-53- 60 WestLight Photography original images by norm Shrewsbury 46 paces behind ng -- Jack 801-259-60- the laundromat Campbell 'bOrt'T GET ' al mcleod electrical contractor 259-709- 0 po box 1423 moab SH0r-FW- D ON THE FOURTH.. PiAy rr SAFE. 750 S. Main Moab, Utah 84532 259-794- 3 |
