Speaking of possible historic and prehistoric sites at the reservoir, he said, the state has "some cultural concerns."

The reservoir operations would be coordinated with needs of the refuge in mind. The division is talking about storing water only in times of high flows and in the winter, when it's not needed by the wildlife or farmers.

Also, he said, the refuge may need high, flushing flows.

"We would send those down the river," he said. "We have a great deal of respect for the refuge and its value, though some folks claim we don't."

Asked about the assertion that taking water from the Bear could affect the level of the Great Salt Lake and harm surrounding wetlands, Strong said the reservoir and associated projects were pegged at about 200,000 acre-feet. Average annual inflow to the lake from the Bear River is about 1 million acre-feet, although, depending on the year, it can vary from several million to several hundred thousand acre-feet, he said.

The actual Washakie Reservoir may be less than that, at 160,000 acre-feet. Since the reservoir would not fill overnight, the impact on the Great Salt Lake shouldn't be substantial, he thinks.

To get a better understanding of the effects, including some that may not be foreseen now, is the reason an environmental impact statement is needed, he said. "There may be something to do with . . . threatened or endangered species. We're not aware of any," Strong said.

• Lake Powell Pipeline

The pipeline would take water from Lake Powell, probably between Lone Rock and Stateline Marina, and convey it largely along the highway right of way to St. George.

The 16-inch diameter, 120-mile pipeline and the Fort Pearce Reservoir are not the only environmental concerns, concerns for environmental impacts, said Mark Clemens, coordinator for the Utah Chapter of the Sierra Club.

"There's a very significant public policy question here," he said. That involves spending priorities "when the folks at Washington County don't take (water) conservation seriously."

He questioned whether many millions of dollars should be invested in the project when school textbooks may be in short supply for school children and transportation may be short-changed.

Washington County seems proud of the fact that it aims at reducing water use by 25 percent, dropping it to 289 gallons per person per day by 2035 or 2050, he said. "And yet today, folks in Tucson, Ariz., use about 170 gallons per day."

Ron Thompson, director of the Washington County Water Conservancy District, said the group is working on improving conservation.

"We're the first district in Utah to pass a conservation plan," he said.