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Show j! Gasually i Obsetoincj i l By Cliff Memmott ' THEY SAW OUR COUNTRY Last week it was my privilege to spend several hours touring a part of the Uintah Basin with eight members of the Utah Water and Power Board, plus the executive directors and others on the staff of the state office. Also included on the tour were several local farmers and civic leaders who added ad-ded much to the interest of the tour. HEADING THE LIST of the touring water officials were our own BYRON O. COLTON of Roosevelt and Uintah's member of the board, HUGH COLTON. These two men are to be complimented compli-mented for the high positions of esteem and influence they enjoy as members of this very important im-portant board. Their associates value their opinions and rely greatly on their judgement in helping to solve the affairs of our state relating to water and power. Our tour began at Fruitland where a few local farmers met the group at about 10 a.m. and told them of their locaL problems. We then boarded a chartered bus and traveled to the Tabiona-Hanna Tabiona-Hanna area where we viewed the proposed site of the Hanna reservoir reser-voir that will be built as a part of the Central Utah project. I had my Polaroid camera along to take some pictures, but a terrific wind, accompanied with a goodly portion of dust, made it impossible to snap a photo of the Hanna dam-site. dam-site. (Other photos on page 1). FROM HANNA We traveled to the site of the Starvation Damsite, which will be located about five miles west and north of Duchesne City. According to information given us by Parley Neeley, Bureau Bur-eau of Reclamation engineer, who was also on the tour, Starvation Resvervoir will store water from both the Strawberry and Duchesne Rivers. Mr. Neeley gave with a lot of statistics on cost and amount of water that will be stored on each project. However, we'll try to get that information Later on. AFTER A BREIF VISIT with Mayor Chester Lyman and several sev-eral other prominent leaders of Duchesne, we precceded toward the uooer countrv via the Blue Bench. The delegation stopped for a few minutes on Blue Bench, which years ago was a project financed by the late Jesse Knight. Here a bit of history his-tory was repeated for the group and a few ideas on how and when water could be again brought onto Blue Bench. I MIGHT SAY HERE AND NOW that it was not the purpose of the visit of the board to the Uintah Basin last weekend to give immediate solution to all our problems. But rather to learn of our needs, see our country, and enjoy that great Basin Hospitality. And let me assure all of you good people of this area they were very much impressed by what they caw and heard. Our cause was ably supplemented by having this group of civic and community leaders from all parts of Utah as our guests. AFTER AN INFORMATIVE story by Louie Galloway, manager of the Moon Lake Water Users Assn., while traveling from Blue Blench through Talmage, Boneta, Altamont and Mt. Emmons, on the history of this great project, the next stop was at the proposed site of the Upalco reservoir. More information was given by Mr. Neeley on the costs and size of Upalco and numerous questions were asked on what had been seen and heard during the trip. LUNCH AT ROOSEVELT was the next stop, with the Chamber of Commerce of Roosevelt as hosts. It was here I left the group to try to keep another appointment this one at Union High's football field where a very important game was being played between Union and North Summit Had to miss my lunch to see the game but it was worth it. IT WAS A GRAND experience to meet the men who have been charged with the responsibility of handling our water and power problems. My personal reaction is that with such men as our representatives, repre-sentatives, along with Henry D. Moyle, brilliant attorney and church leader, and other individuals individ-uals who have been equally as successful in their own rights as these on the board, our affairs are in good hands. MET IN VERNAL After touring tour-ing western Uintah county in the afternoon, the delegation went to Vernal where the monthly meeting meet-ing of the board was held following follow-ing a dinner. Saturday was devoted de-voted to seeing Uintah's projects and the Flaming Gorge Damsite. --co-- There are still some oldfash-ioned oldfash-ioned mothers who love to tuck their children in bed, but many of them can't stay awake until the kids come home! CO-- WE-WERE SCOUTED Perhaps the busiest man at the football game last Friday between Union and North Summit was Taft Watts, capable and very successful success-ful coach of the Millard Eagles down Fillmore way It's a cinch that everything the Cougars did to show their power or strength received plenty' of study by Coach Watts, who has achieved the jnost enviable record of any "B"' coach in Utah. . . . Union might have to play the Eagles if they win their next two games with Uintah and South Summit. |