| OCR Text |
Show Mountain State Park is significant in terms of recreation potential. " H2 The distance from Salt Lake City to Jordanelle Reservoir would be approximately 45 miles and from Provo about 40 mileso With this in mind, it is anticipated that the principal use of the area would be day use with recrea- tionists returning to their homes for lodging. Camping areas, summer homes, and lodging would be developed as needed and property values adjacent to the reservoir would rise. However, no major change in housing or business development in Heber City would be expected. The influx of visitors to Heber City may generate sufficient business activity to provide an increase in the standard of living for some. It is anticipated that, unless prohibited by zoning regulations, the presence of the reservoir would stimulate an increase in the rate of subdividing and that the existing picturesque rural setting of the valley would be degraded. Jordanelle Reservoir would be located in an area containing numerous exploratory mining operations. No mineral resources, however, are currently under exploitation and none are known to occur within the area of the proposed site. Developed ore bodies presently being mined are at least 1 mile from the reservoir. In the reservoir basin the water table slopes toward Provo River and Ross Creek. On the basis of these and other data, it appears unlikely that inundation of this area by a reservoir would adversely affect the overall water table gradients and aggravate water problems in the workings of United Park City Mines Company and New Park Mining Company, west of the Reservoir. The Bureau of Reclamation is continuing studies including observation wells and subsurface drilling designed to further define the groundwater gradients,, Drainage water from the mines adjacent to Jordanelle Reservoir could be a potential threat to the water quality of the reservoir. This appears unlikely unless the quality of the drainage water deteriorates naturally or as a result of mining operational changes. Several water quality samples collected on Ross Creek below where the mine effluent discharged during the 1961- 66 period showed Ross Creek water, although inferior to Provo River water, to be relatively good quality and suitable for irrigation or industrial use. Moreover, Ross Creek contributes only a minute portion of the total water supply of the reservoir and under present conditions would have a minor degrading effect on the total reservoir water quality. 241 |
