OCR Text |
Show The current and potential flow reductions in the river would adversely affect recreational boating in about 60 miles of stream. Also affected is the 4- mile portion of the Strawberry River between Starvation Dam and the Duchesne River. The proposed ultimate operating plan for the reservoir does not include a minimum fishery release for the winter. Heavy downstream demand for water during the irrigation season keeps flows of 100 to 200 c. f. s. in the river channel during the spring and summer. Until the diversion capabilities of the Strawberry Aqueduct become operative, water must be released from Starvation Resevoir to make room for spring runoff. Currently water flows range from 50 to 150 c. f. s. Starvation Reservoir functions as a settling basin and water passing through it is much clearer than river water above the reservoir. A successful trout fishery has developed below Starvation Reservoir, particularly in the vicinity of the dam. It appears that the quality of this fishery has been enhanced. The quality of the sport fishery in the affected 4- mile portion of the Strawberry River was originally evaluated and rated as Class IV by the State Division of Wildlife Resources. -* The stream flow reduction below Knight Diversion Dam adversely affects about 7 miles of Class III stream and 1 mile of Class IV waters. The Class IV sections are of minor importance to the fishery resource of Utah, Class III waters are very important to the state resource. The recreation loss of the Strawberry River was estimated at 300 man- days per year while the annual loss on the Duchesne River was estimated to be about 9,000 man- days. There is no guaranteed minimum release for fishery purposes below either structure. However, a minimum of about 15 c. f. s. of water is bypassed at Knight Diversion Dam for stock watering purposes. 123 T^± S £ IOW is complemented by about 7 c. f. s. of stream gains between the diversion and the town of Duchesne. Seepage flows below Starvation Reservoir contribute in excess of 1 c. f. s. to the Strawberry River. The reservoir presently provides about 3,000 acres of recreational water surface that is heavily used. The 1970 Recreational and Wildlife Summary compiled by the Bureau of Reclamation estimated total utilization at 28,139 " visitation days." H5 The 1971 estimate had doubled to 58,660 days of use. The 1972 estimate was 144,000 " visitation days". The major recreational activities were camping, fishing, boating, and waterskiing. The State Division of Wildlife Resources currently stocks about 500,000 trout in the reservoir annually. Fishery quality is presently reduced by the presence of a large 213 |