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Show Says BOR When Floods Hit, Coordinated Efforts May Help By coordinating its water management activities with other agencies on the county and state level the Bureau of Reclamation hopes to reduce the threat of flood damage along Utah's lakes and rivers. According to Kirt Carpenter, Reclamation's Manager of the Utah Projects Office, the combined effort includes coordination with reservoir operators, county and state officials, and others to review snow-pack conditions, runoff potential and reservoir storage. "We would like to see the water levels in the reservoirs drawn down to whatever level is necessary to reduce the potential of damage to downstream property owners and still protect the operating ability of the respective projects," Carpenter said. BOR established a direct computer link with the Weather Bureau and the Soil Conservation Service to obtain current snow and runoff conditions. This computer is also linked via telephone with the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District to monitor levels of the Weber and Ogden Rivers. Federal dams in Utah, according to Carpenter, provided significant flood control benefits during last year's spring runoff. It is estimated that about 7 percent of all water used in Utah comes from snow. Yet, last year's flooding showed that too much water can be just as harmful as too little. Maintaining a balance between the storage and release of water from reservoirs is the responsibility of individual project operators. Persons living in low-lying downstream areas want the reservoirs drawn down now to make room for future flood control. But premature releases of water, making room for heavy runoffs later, can also create problems. Those who own irrigation or municipal and industrial rights want to keep the reservoirs full to avert water shortages during the summer high demand period, said the BOR. The role of Reclamation, according to Carpenter, is only to advise. It recommends certain operational procedures for those reservoirs which have allocated flood control space, but the operating entity makes the final decision on releases. For information contact Ms. Kate O'Hare (801) 379-1000. |