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Show Page 12 The Ogden Valley news Volume XXIII Issue XII July 15, 2016 District Works to Resolve Problems with Church History Museum Announces New Secondary Water System at Valley Elementary Online Exhibit: “Exceedingly Valiant for Courage” By Dave Hales, Valley Elementary Principal I wanted to take a moment to make our Valley community aware of our school’s outdoor water situation. Many of you have noticed that our lawn is yellow. We have struggled with our pump and well system since the time the school was built. The well keeps filling with sand and causing both our motors and our electronics to fail. WATER cont. from page 1 from the Standard-Examiner, that to his knowledge this was the first time the spring had had a problem in its 40 years of use. In the same article, Paul Hirst, chairman and chief executive officer of CRS Engineers, which is based out of Salt Lake City, stated “Up until Saturday (June 18), this spring has been the source for water for the district. . . . Now we’re relying on the Hidden Lake Well totally.” He also stated that as development occurs within the PMWSID, the service capacity would need to expand, necessitating the drilling of more wells. In 1998, a study mapping water recharge areas in Ogden Valley was completed by the State of Utah Department of Natural Resources to aid in the management of potential contaminant sources to ground water within Ogden Valley (See Map of Recharge Areas for the Principal Valley-Fill Aquifer, Ogden Valley, Weber County Utah. Visit mapstore.utah.gov/ m176.html for a copy). The formal stated purpose of the study, which was administered by the Utah Division of Water Quality, was to map water recharge areas feeding Ogden Valley in an effort to help state and local government officials and local residents protect the quality of ground water by defining these vulnerable recharge areas. Protection of the ground water feeding Ogden Valley is critical. This water source provides drinking water to Valley and Ogden City residents. Growth projections for these areas indicate there will be an increase in the demand for potable municipal water; unfortunately, as the pressures and demand for clean, potable water increases, so does the potential for waterquality degradation. The main source of ground water in the Valley comes from the infiltration of precipitation—mostly from mountain rains and snowmelt, and from other sources of surface water, such as stream and irrigation seepage. Primary, principle recharge areas for the Valley begin in the bedrock and fractured-rock areas in the higher mountain elevations, and extend down toward the lower foothill and bench areas of the Valley. These ground-water recharge areas typically have relatively little ability to inhibit infiltration or renovate or restore contaminated water. Ground-water flow in recharge areas has a downward component and a relatively fast rate of movement. According to the study, because contaminants can readily enter an aquifer system in recharge areas, the siting and management of potential contaminant sources in these areas deserve special attention if ground-water quality is to be protected; thus, the importance of this study to define these “vulnerable” areas. Currently, the quality of ground water in Ogden Valley is generally high. Most of the The district has worked very hard now for the past eight summers to keep the well functioning properly. This summer the condition has worsened considerably. The Weber School District is working, once again, to clear the pumps and reset the pipe depth in an effort to secure water for the grass. We want our community and our patrons to take pride in their school, and the lawn situation definitely elevates concern for the school’s appearance. Please know we are working hard to improve the water situation and the aesthetics of our lawns. Thank you for your continued support as we work to resolve the issues with the irrigation well. water in the Valley has been classified as class IA, which is pristine water, and II, water that is suitable for drinking. Water is found in the consolidated rock beneath and surrounding the Valley; and few wells are drilled into, what is called, fractured-rock aquifers that are located higher up on the benches. This has been due, primarily, to the fact that the valley-fill aquifer located at the center of the Valley floor is so productive, and most of the current population that depends on wells for its water supply, live at the lower levels of the Valley where this water has been plentiful. However, recent development in the Valley is reaching higher up the mountain slopes and, now even onto the top of the mountain, increasing the need for bedrock wells in the fractured-rock and bedrock aquifers where, again, there is increased potential for water degradation. According to the study, drilling into the aquifers above the Valley floor significantly increases the possibility for contamination, particularly with the added increased residential and commercial development in these critical areas. Although the ground water in the Valley is still very high, monthly average coliform bacteria levels in the South Fork Ogden River increased approximately 600 percent between 1974 and 1985 (More current data was not able to be identified.). The earlier rise of coliform levels has been attributed to, in one study, to increased recreational use of the Cache National Forest. Since South Fork water directly recharges the ground water east of Huntsville, this could pose a future problem. Development is also now occurring around Burnett Spring, a high-quality potable water source for Eden. Water in the principal aquifer remains of relatively high quality, primarily, for two reasons: (1) the large quantity of good-quality ground water that recharges the aquifer annually, which, however, may become increasingly susceptible to being compromised as heavy construction and drilling on top of the watershed continues; and (2) the relatively low population density in the Valley. Increasing development, without consideration of siting of contaminant sources in primary recharge areas that have a compromised ability to filter out contaminants, such as the drilling of bedrock wells in fractured-rock and bedrock aquifers, may jeopardize the high quality of ground water in Ogden Valley. The geology and small population of the Valley, at present, are maintaining the high quality drinking water—for the most part; however, the unprecedented surface water contamination of Pizzel Spring #1 is alarming. In conclusion, the study notes that careful monitoring of water quality should continue in the future; and measures be taken to protect the pristine drinking water by implementing restrictions on drilling in fractured-rock and bedrock aquifers at the top of the watershed. The Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently launched a new online exhibit titled “‘Exceedingly Valiant for Courage’: Bravery in the Book of Mormon.” The exhibit’s artworks, available on the museum’s website, portray how figures in the Book of Mormon displayed courage to declare their faith and defend their families. It is part of the museum’s ongoing series of online art exhibits highlighting the stories of the Book of Mormon. The new exhibit exemplifies many of the ways in which valiant men and women in the Book of Mormon exemplified bravery, showcasing treasured stories such as that of the Anti- Nephi-Lehies covenanting to bury their weapons and Moroni’s lonely mission to preserve the plates. The exhibit features artworks from such familiar artists as Arnold Friberg and Walter Rane, as well as many works of art known to only a few. People of all faiths can appreciate the exhibit’s beauty, reverence, and majesty. Church History Museum Director Alan Johnson adds, “Each of these pieces depicts individuals in the Book of Mormon who chose to act with faith and courage. We invite those who view these images to reflect on their stories and to take strength from their examples and testimonies of the Savior.” The exhibit can be found at <history.lds.org/ exhibit/exceedingly-valiant> Today it’s More Important than Ever to Protect Our Watersheds Compiled by Shanna Francis According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, over 80 percent of our fresh water comes from precipitation that falls on watersheds and seeps into groundwater or flows into streams and reservoirs. Land use in the nation’s watersheds is complex and varied, and how we manage the activities that take place on watersheds influences the quantity and quality of water available for domestic, industrial, agricultural, and ecological uses. Today, more than at any other time, there’s an urgency in developing sound management principles for watersheds if we are to guarantee a safe and dependable water supply into the future. Our nation faces six major challenges regarding watersheds: 1. Protecting life and property from floods 2. Mitigating the effects of droughts and water scarcity 3. Providing clean water 4. Rehabilitating impaired watersheds 5. Determining the effects of climate change on water resources 6. Ensuring environmental and ecosystem health. According to an article titled “The Potential Role of Local Governments in Watershed Management” by A. Dan Tarlock, which appeared in the Pace Environmental Law Review (visit http:// GENERAL PLAN cont. from page 1 comprehensive, land-use, or master plan, is a document designed to guide the future actions of a community. It provides a vision for the future, with long-range goals and objectives in mind, including guidance on how to make decisions on public and private land use proposals and the expenditure of public funds. It is the foundation for establishing goals, purposes, zoning, and activities allowed on land within its jurisdiction. Most plans are written with a projected ten- to twenty-year timeframe in mind. Overall, a general plan serves the following aims: • Providing community continuity • Provides a means by which a community can weigh and prioritize competing interests • Protect public investments, by providing a plan for well-planned, orderly, and phased digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent. cgi?article=1164&context=pelr), “as water supply options narrow in many parts of the county, local governments are beginning to link land use and water planning, and these efforts have considerable potential to promote watershed conservation. The integration of land use and water supply planning will not stop much growth, but the potential for watershed conservation is increased because the link will: (1) require cities to review more carefully development that threatens to adversely affect the environmental values of a river corridor or watershed; (2) require some cities to limit the rate of growth to match available, secure long-term supplies; (3) possibly require some cities in arid areas to realize that the carrying capacity of local and more distant watersheds to support urban growth is in fact limited; and (4) create additional pressures for more aggressive water conservation and efficient use that may indirectly conserve instream flows. “Public, utility law is adjusting to the new era of more limited water supplies by recognizing that suppliers have more discretion to match service with supply. Modern statutes are rapidly eroding the assumption that there is an absolute duty to serve. Cities may subordinate service obligations to land use plans and policies. At a minimum, cities may delay land development and thus take pressure off of at-risk watersheds until adequate water supplies and sewage systems are available.” development patterns • Plan development in a way that protects valued resources such as agricultural lands, steep slopes, wetlands, and critical habitat • Provide guidance for shaping the appearance of the community • Provide legal justification for planning decisions • Provide a means where, through public dialogue, the community can express a collective vision for its future. A copy of the most current draft of the proposed Ogden Valley General Plan can be found by visiting www.valleyplan.com or contacting Weber County planner Charlie Ewert at <cewert@co.weber.ut.us> For additional information on the public work meeting on July 13, contact the commission office at 801399-8406. 801-745-4000 2555 WOLF CREEK DR. 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