Show Dixie National Forest I Reports Completion Of Navajo Lake Dike By Blain Forest Supervisor For a good many years It has hM been the dream of sportsmen and other recreational lovers of Southern Utah to overcome the difficulties in the rapid lass laIS of water from the vol volL formed canto Navajo Lake which occurred on account of seepage through the lava rock at the lower end of this beautiful three and andone I one quarter mile wide forest lake This lake depends mainly upon the annual water supply from melting snow on the surrounding watershed watershed water water- shed except for the small amount of water which is Ls supplied to the lake by a few permanent springs Due to the seepage of water during during dur dur- ing the entire year the water I became so low during the winter wintertime wintertime wintertime time and before fresh water was wasl I it provided by melting snow that was impossible to maintain fish life In the lake jake Realizing the added added add add- ed attraction this large lake would afford the public along with many other scenic and recreational interests Interests interests inter Inter- ests of Southern Utah the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce and the Cedar City Wild Life Federation conceived the Idea of constructing a dike or dam above the sink holes In order to hold sufficient water back of the dike yearlong to maintain maintain main main- tain fish life It was known that all aU other factors such as abundance of offish offish offish fish food water temperature etc was Ideal for the production of fish Accordingly mainly through the efforts of these organizations a small dike was constructed largely by donated labor and funds by interested interested in in- individuals This effort proved proved proved ed to be Inadequate so in 1933 the State Fish and Game Department contributed and the Dixie National Forest obtained I with which to raise the dike Thru I funds provided from this source the dike was raised to a maximum height of six feet and a was built After several years ars of nce it was found that heavy losses of offish offish fish continued to occur each winter winter winter win win- ter on account of insufficient wa ter After repeated and studies by fish culturists it was concluded that the solution to the problem was In finding deeper water for the fish during the i winter period In the meantime some questions S had arisen by interested water users users users us us- ers as 1 to to the right to store wat wat r r therefore In hi order to comply with legal requirements in the use o water the State Fish and Game Department Department Department De De- De- De made a water filing with the State Engineer which was subsequently subsequently subsequently sub sub- approved authorizing the stor storage ge of needed water in the th lake ake In the spring of 1939 the Cedar City Wild Life Federation solicited solicited solicited soli soli- cited the cooperation of the Associated Associated Associated Civics Clubs of Southern Utah to assist In hi covering several ob necessary to get action started started start start- ed to raise the dike During the month of April 1939 a meeting was called at the Fish and Game dame Commissioners Commissioner's Commissioners Commissioner's Com Com- missioners missioner's Office at ait Salt Lake City at which h representatives of the Cedar City Wild Life Federation Federation Federa Federa- i tion the Fish and Game Committee of the Civics Clubs the Fish and Game dame Department the State En and Forest officials from the Regional Forest office at Ogden Ogden Og Og- den and the Supervisor of the Dixie Dixe rational National Forest were In attendance Through the efforts of this meeting meeting meet meet- ing a p pan an was devised which gave promise of the accomplishment of the An agreement was reached whereby the State Fish and Game Department would appropriate ate toward the cost of the project and he U U. S. S Forest service service service ser ser- ser ser- vice the necessary super superb on and man manpower manpower power and additional funds necessary necessary necessary essary to complete the project The TIle e authority for constructing the da dam damand damand m and the water in th a ake was based on the water fIlin filing g application made and perfected by bythe bythe bythe the Fish and Game Department a as s approved by the State Engineer The Forest Service through th the e facilities of the Duck Creek Camp panned to start work on the dike about July 1 I 1939 but due to delays in getting engineering pans plans for the dike approved actual construction construction con con- Uon did not start until August August August Aug Aug- 20 Due to the fact that only a short time remained before the Camp was scheduled to move to its winter camp location at Veyo Utah it was necessary to obtain additional equipment and place most of the enrollees from the Camp Camj to rush construction work Dec Because of heavy rain in September and the first part of o October tober progress on the work was delayed considerably consider consider- ably aW The cost of the construction wor work done largely by use of enrol lees from Duck Creek Camp to the Forest Service and State Game Department Department Department De De- was approximately 10 10 of which the Fish and Game Department contributed 00 as ns originally agreed With the water storage provided by the Increased Increased height height of the dike it Is felt the serious loss of fish wU wil wl 1 be overcome and that aft af the additional water has been provided provided pro pro- pro pro- vided Navajo Lake will be one o othe ot of the best fishing waters in the State of Utah |