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Show 1 69th Year No. 44' Thursday November 4, 1982 Roosevelt, Utah 24 Pages a 25 Cents Upalco construction delays are discussed A discussion of the Upalco Unit of the Central Utah Project with Commissioner Robert N. Broadbent of the United Sates Bureau of Reclamation took place last week in Salt Lake. The reason behind the meeting was to why the Upalco Unit had not started construction when in bet the nlia Congress has already allotted the money and said built it. Lynn Winterton, Manager of Moon Lake Water Users Association, headed the discussion with Commissioner Broadbent. There were 25 other interested people who attended the meeting representing the Utah Water Conservancy District. Irrigation companies, counties and cities that would receive benefits from the completed IS. explained that people first moved into the Basin and immediately started searching for ways to store and more conservatively distribute water through the whole summer. There would be enough water for all if it didn't melt from the snow and leave in June, he explained. The Ute Indian Tribe has a water right priority of October 8, 1861. Because of water disputes, on March 16, 1928, a Federal Court Decree set an nmil diversion limit of three acre feet per acre with a rate limit of (me cubic foot per second per 70 acres on the Lakefork, Yellowstone, and Uintah Rivers. Except during the spring water users depend runoff. and other storage on Project heavily frwliti to supplement stream diversions, Winterton said. Starting in the 1920's, individuals and irrigation companies, including the non-Indi- .. Moon Lake Water Users Association, constructed high country lakes of which Moon Lake owns 10, to supplement river flows. In 1930 the Moon Lake project and Hidview exchange were constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation with the total cost of that project to be paid in full in 1988. Can you imagine how happy the local people were in the 1950's to hair that tiie Bureau of Reclamation was investigating the construction of additional storage in the Upalco Unit of the Central Utah Project, asked Winterton. He stated that Moon Lake Water Users Association did not sit back and wait for this project but continued to search for sites and constructed other facilities. Despite Bureau protest, a site known as Big Sandwash Reservoir wu constructed at a cost of $966,268 in 1964-6In 1975 Browns Draw reservoir wu planned and a cost of $889,751 wu tagged for the project. This wu a project that was using Uintah River water but it also benefited the companies on the Lakefork area by exchange. Bureau and BIA objections, held this project up until 1980, said Winter-ton- , and this project wu finally completed this spring at a cost of $2,66534630 plus 3 interest He described the Upalco unit of the Central Utah Project u being revised to include 8000 acre feet of Municipal and industrial water in addition to the predetermined source of irrigation water. Winterton went onto explain to Broadbent the reasons for the delay in this project. letter from the Utah Projects it points out that the Ute Indian Tribe is holding up the Upalco Unit," he said. From my own participation in meetings this past year, it is obvious that it is being held as ransom for other By office, considerations not related to the Upaleo Unit," he said. He then submitted a copy of the average annual diversions as reported by the River Commissioner for the Upalco Unit Area and showed that out A 10 years, only two did the Ute Indian Tribe not receive their full 3.0 acre feet per acre and in four of those years they received the 3.4 acre feet per acre planned that the Upalco Unit would provide for all farms. During those same 10 years the land received over 3 acre feet of water only twice and only 1.26 acre feet during the drought year of 1977 while the Tribe received 2.78 that Non-India- n year. He submitted the following ques- tions to Commissioner Broadbent. What does the Tribe have to lose when they already receive a full water right, 80 of the time. How lonr can you wait and still build the Project? If that were' my property how long could I keep you from development? Have we really lost this project as the people in our community say? He then requested a united community, that the Bureau condumn or withdraw from the current use as they would any other parcel of Government property and commence u construction! Winterton reported that Broadbent promised to work with us and problem resolved. get this r.i - rj bond election. According to Mr. Young, there are several possibilities for funding the project. The first he suggested was that of revenue bonding. However, he explained that presently there are none available because of a court case fkailwiging the use of these bonds. Young explained that these types of bonds do not require voter approval through a bond election. We just dont vant to go that way, said Gordon Harmston, City Councilman. The council expressed the need for this proposal to be placed before the voting public. Young agreed that this would be the best plan. A second method to funding is one which Kimball said wu discussed several months ago. At that time there were plans being formulated for the development of a special voting district This would be made up of areas outside of the incorporated areu of Roosevelt but within the use area the facility. While such a plan is a viable alternative to funding the project based on the area of use, it poses several problems. The major, concern is that county commissioners or City Councils would have to approve the special district before a bond election could be held. Mr. Young said they have been looking mainly at a bond election within Roosevelt City to help fend the ry. --V .... x intr!.--.' for Roosevelt pool Plans for a new swimming pool and library in Roosevelt have been in the making for some time now, and discussion Monday evening resulted in the progression of the plans to another phase. Kimball Young, a representative of Boetcher and Co., an Investment Banking firm, attended the weekly Council meeting to explain to City Councilman the various avenues for funding the imposed projects. He also he process for establishing a ,fV ;'? ' i- itl- 'll'4. PHEASANTS IN THE BUSHl-D- ogs Rip and Midge of Larry Nielsen's were out posing for the camera and getting ready for this week's Saturday pheasant opener. THERE'S project He said plans could later be worked out to admission fees because Roosevelt residents would be paying Roosevelt views options to for secondary Sufficient water to guarantee Roosevelt's expansion into the future is presently a matter of utmost concern to the City Council The City is presently finalizing contract negotiations with the Ute Tribe for water through 1985, and plans are being discussed for the design and construction of a secondary system. The City received a loan last week for the development of a well in the Hancock Cove area, but this will not solve the problems to be faced. The well is recognized as a short term solution which will provide the City with extra water for the next few years. The major concern for Roosevelts water future lies in the development of a secondary system, thereby reducing the inamount of culinary water used. This turn would to culinary allow for more hook-up- s sources. ' s According to Rex Harrison, Engineers, the proposed well is estimated to provide 150 gallons per minute year around. This would amount to a total of 240 acre feet annually and would help meet the Harrison Citys needs until 1985. costs are explained that pumping Council the told a and concern, always that in 1979 when Roosevelt began pumping their electricity costs were 17 cents per 1,000 gallons. Today that has increased to 28 cents per 1,000 gallons. Harrison pointed out that while this may be fairly cheap water, the fact remains that the wells cannot be pumped to capacity or they would soon be dry. For this reason, there is a need to develop a secondary system. A number of plans have been forwarded, but the City is now looking toward the development of a 1,000 acre foot reservoir at McGuire Draw. Harrison said the development of the secondary system wiil be more expensive at the outset than developing wells, but added that later the coats of the secondary system will drop. He explained that there are no pumping coats, or repair costs on the system. In an effort to explain some of the contingencies related to the secon- are now comare basis just pleted on a statewide in Duchesne County. As part of this year's' campaign efforts on the part of the Utah Republican Party, President Ronald Reagan visited Salt Lake last Friday and spoke at Elections os-the- the Salt Palace. Representatives from were invited to attend the activity. The President's stop was part of a campaign trip through a number of Duchesne County western states. cooperation is urged between hunters and landowners that all are satisfied with the hunt. Continued on page 3 Hor-rock- THE ELECTIONS Bird populations seem to be up this year an dary system. City Administrator Shane Luck provided the Council with a coat analysis of several alternatives. Luck began his presentation with an explanation of their growth projections between now and fiscal year 1985. Present population is 4,500 and they expect that to increase to 5,800 by 1985 without any major energy impact. Should that impact occur they estimate a population of 8,450. The real concern for the City ia the number of connections. The city now . wafer plan has 1,500 and would expect 1,800 by 1985 with average growth. With energy impact they estimate a need for 2,335. Water usage ia presently at 940 gallons per day per connection for an annual use of 1.05 acre feet. Because of this usage, and the projections for population, the need for additional water supplies ia apparent. Because of Roosevelt's negotiations with the Ute Tribe for Water which includes a 50 eents1000 rate, the imposition of a 10 cents water rate increase could be a possibility. However, plans have been reviewed which would not require an increase. This could pose several problems for the City. According to Luck, should such a situation occur, by 1984 it ia estimated that there would be a sinking fund totalling only $22,724. This figure represents only a three percent margin in case of an emergency. It also assumes that all water users in the City would begin to strictly conserve water. This plan would assume the completion of the Cove well and the work on the secondary system. Without the development of the secondary system and implementation of a 10 cent rate increase, the sinking fund would stand at $42,148, a margin of six percent. However, even with this increased margin, the coat of water used would continue to increase because of the ever increasing amounts of culinary water being used. For this reason Harrison and Luck both felt the secondary system would be a viable solution to Roosevelt's water problems. Luck explained that presently 41 percent of Roosevelt's water costa go for the water, the remainder of which is for operation and maintenance coats. That ia very high, said Luck. He said other communities in Utah as little as ten percent of total costs Sy water coats. Luck said the 10 cent . increase would increase revenues about $30,000 to $40,000 per year. Luck said preliminary figures have shown that secondary water costs would be near $250 per acre foot Because of the simplicity of the system there would not be many maintenance and operation coats. The Rooaevelt City Council made a motion Monday evening to support the secondary system and to seek all possible funding for the project It was pointed out that construction on the Cove well could begin this winter and be completed late next spring. Construction on any secondary system is still sometime down the road, although the need has been expressed as presently upon us. The Council has requested additional information regarding the payback of the proposed project. Election results tallied Duchesne County voters turned out in force Tuesday to select their candidates for public office. According to Janet Cowan, County Clerk. 68 percent of registered voters cast In local races, Ted Happen defeated challenger John Gale 3.040 to 1,325. Incumbent Alton Moon retained his position of County Commissioner by collecting 2692 votes to Rosalee Jes sen's 1608. In the race for Sheriff. Clair Poulson recorded 2895 votes and Gerry Ivie collected 1037. Write-icandidate Merrill Capwell collected 476 votes. Maxine Panas and Roger Marett were seeking the seat of County Clerk to be vacated by Janet Cowan. Marett collected 2234 votes to defeat Panas who collected 2031. Diane Freston, who was unopposed in her quest for County Auditor, received 2722. Jessie Peatross, also unopposed, received 2888 votes for County Assessor. Maxine Burdick collected 2898 votes for County Recorder and Gary Kay Uresk received 1109. Maxine Taylor, the unopposed candidate for Treasurer received 3564 votes. on page 3 n |