Show D r r h. h t t. v D 1 II w Sl ar f S ti e I j r The long arm of the drought takes a swing at Utah leaving us with little to look forward to Zachary Todd 4 Staff Writer It Its s hard to think of drought when school hallways are dotted with drinking fountains It s hard shard to think of drought when lawns are still green But this summer s weather has done nothing to relieve the land which has for years now lacked sufficient water Despite our modern modem conveniences conveniences conveniences con con- our land is drying up And though the signs may be hard to read the damage is tain In the 1950 s Utah saw dry times but since then many land use changes have created a volatile concoction destined to have an even greater impact on the condition of water in the state These changes are just beginning to affect the land but will present challenges to land managers and citizens alike for years to come Our forests are different than they used to be Policies against logging and prescribed bums burns have caused unnatural amounts of vegetation to grow Forest fires even those caused by lightning have long been suppressed by well managers and environmentalists environ environ- mentalists Our forests deprived of natural thinning processes have filled with dead and diseased diseased diseased dis dis- dis- dis eased trees These conditions combined with ever increasing development in traditionally forested areas create the potential potential potential poten poten- for catastrophic fire But it isn t just about forests Economic setbacks are even now under way and many ranchers have been forced to sale sheep and cattle the land can no longer feed Farmers too have felt the crunch as they try to keep crops from withering away The depletion of wild lands has hasa a tremendous impact on wil wildlife life as well The forage which supports supports supports sup sup- ports livestock also supports elk moose deer an and even near ear me The 1 he See Draught on pg 6 Draught continued from pg 3 drought has detrimental effects on the entire food chain Animals normally shy of urban areas are forced to seek geraniums gerani gerani- instead of cheat grass pets instead of deer These animals will be unprepared for the winter to come and starvation awaits them The young are usually the first to go Experts already expect the loss of the bear cub population this season and deer and elk could see dying fawns and calves whose milk and forage forage forage for for- age are quickly disappearing The devastation runs deep and isn t always apparent Some signs are obvious however and many municipalities are beginning beginning beginning begin begin- ning to implement even more aggressive measures to preserve diminishing water supplies and to address problems associated with hydroelectric power which has been hit significantly by the lack of flowing water It Its s easy to think all is lost but though this drought is particularly particular particular- ly harsh Utah is no stranger to water woes Drought is nothing new to us says Cary Gary Peterson Commissioner of Utah Agriculture We will share what resources we have rethink how we do business and like those who have worked the land before us look to tomorrow for crop- crop saving rains rains Even now wildlife managers farmers and foresters are taking sensible measures to curb the damage The Department of Natural Resources in an effort to aid embattled drought-embattled wildlife will expand hunting ani and fishing limits to prevent winter whiter I tion In addition public awareness awareness aware aware- w. w ness helped by the media has changed lifestyles accustomed to water waste and fire and firework fIrework firework fire fIre- work restrictions have done much to prevent catastrophe Utah is not alone in this effort much of the West is entangled in drought Denver has enacted strict policies on water usage and in many Denver suburbs a abrown abrown brown lawn is the sign of a conscientious conscientious conscientious con con- home owner We as human beings are capable of doing a great deal to ameliorate the situation And though these measures may only do so much they are all that can be done until saving rains again fall on the West C 0 f li f i l 0 |