Lake meeting draws mix of ideas
40 attend gathering on future of lakes Powell and Mead
About 40 people attended the meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City to discuss the development of management strategies for the lakes under low reservoir conditions.
People offered verbal and written comments on the matter and Terry Fulp, area manager of the bureau's Boulder Canyon operations office in Nevada, said opinions on the lakes' futures varied significantly.
"It was a mixed deal, and that's exactly what we expected," he said. "This is the start of the public process."
A proposal by Living Rivers an environmental organization aimed at maintaining the Colorado River's ecology called for underground storage of the river's water as a solution, and at least one person suggested Glen Canyon Dam be destroyed and Lake Powell be drained.
According the report issued by Living Rivers, evaporation from large reservoirs like Lake Powell and Lake Mead causes the loss of nearly 17 percent of the water that reaches the reservoirs each year. Additionally, the Colorado River will only reach about 60 percent of normal this year, even with average rainfall this spring, according to the report.
The group's proposal calls for surface water to be introduced, through mechanical pumps and percolation methods, to underground aquifers. Underground storage would reduce evaporation losses to just 1 percent, according to the report.
Fulp said the bureau was given a December 2007 deadline by Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton to file an environmental impact statement on the issue.
Thursday's meeting comes two days after a similar meeting in Las Vegas. As the meeting was only the beginning of the process, Fulp said, most of the comments given during the forum were not detailed solutions.
The Reclamation Bureau will take public comment until Aug. 31, Fulp said. At that point, he said, officials will assess all of the comments and prepare a preliminary report, before opening the matter back up to the public in the fall.
"We just wanted to gather some opinion and let them start chewing on this," Fulp said, "because it's not going to be easy."
Those interested in commenting on the issue can do so by e-mailing the Reclamation Bureau's upper Colorado River office at strategies@uc.usbr.gov.
E-mail: afalk@desnews.com
Comments
- Sports briefs 10:42 p.m.
- Utahn places fourth at swim meet 10:40 p.m.
- RSL looks to make a point tonight 10:38 p.m.
- Cash for Clunkers to get rolling soon 10:38 p.m.
- Women ski jumpers lose Olympic bid 10:36 p.m.
- The number: 47% 10:25 p.m.
- Priestley, wife have baby boy 10:23 p.m.
- Underwood concert for soldiers 10:21 p.m.
- Plant honored by Prince Charles 10:20 p.m.
- National news briefs 10:08 p.m.
- LDS seminary principal arrested
- Jazz talking Boozer trade?
- Reactions on Boozer speculation
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Okur signs two-year extension
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Letters: Palin mistreated
142 - Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
141 - Jazz talking Boozer trade?
136 - LDS seminary principal arrested
135 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
94 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Blazers offer Millsap 4-year deal
76 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
74 - Letters: Single-payer system best
71
As more and more dads are put out of work in this economy, I've been...
The photographs are mysterious, brooding, dark. They show dimples and...
I hope everything goes well for the owner and the family and the employs god...
Just give you an example? Hows this: all of these social programs and huge...
Carron; now show us the right way on illegal aliens. You know what the...
Life in the "Land of the Free." Bush lied about wire taps. Bush believed our...
LOYAL, COACHABLE, 6'11", AT LEAST PUT SOME EFFORT INTO DEFENSE, ABILITY TO...
you think it is ethical to have a government run health system??? lets be...
Well said my friend, well said. The insane have taken over the asylum.
Welcome to the Utes Boys! Wynn and you guys are going to own it in a couple...
Mr Bernick; the last thing I want is a "shrewd" politician representing me....



You can be the first to comment on this story.