OCR Text |
Show Under the proposed plan the recreational fishing capacity of Utah Lake would be reduced 17,000 man- days per year. This loss would amount to about 11 percent of the existing angling potential of the lake. A much more serious adverse impact is possible but if this problem occurred it would not be caused by the Bonneville Unit. The present water users own water rights that, if totally exercised, could draw the lake down to 12 feet below compromise level. Such drawdowns would leave a maximum of 2 feet of water in the lake and would severely affect or eliminate fish populations. Maximum drawdowns would occur very infrequently and only during droughts and would not likely be required under existing water use conditions. Since 1930 the 12- foot drawdown has occurred only once ( 1935). The Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife has indicated that such a maximum drawdown would cause an additional loss of 110,000 man- days of fishing. The Bonneville Unit would cause an annual loss of 149,700 man- days of angling of which 118,300 man- days of loss would take place in the Uinta Basin. This loss would represent about 39 percent of the existing fishing potential for the streams under consideration. Table C- 25 relates fishing as it would be affected by the Bonneville Unit to the Statewide situation. Stream fishing in Utah, under Unit conditions, would experience about a 20- percent decline. Lake and reservoir fishing, on the other hand, would realize an approximate 27- percent increase. Besides stream fishing losses, the Bonneville Unit would also have some adverse effects on other types of stream- oriented recreation. At present, these recreational uses have not been well identified and hence remain unquantified. However, the losses would be concerned with reduction in the opportunities to enjoy sightseeing, canoeing, nature education and appreciation, photography, and other related amenities. Under the proposed plan, mule deer hunting in those locations directly influenced by the Bonneville Unit would be reduced from 77,600 to 76,700 man- days annually-- a reduction of about 1 percent ( refer to Table C- 26). There would be an annual loss of 350 man- days of sage grouse hunting. This loss could be of special significance since^ according to the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife evaluation, it represents the total hunting potential for this species in the Strawberry Valley. The biota study carried out by the Center for Health and Environmental Studies, Brigham Young University, disagreed with this view."" Under Bonneville Unit conditions, there would be an unmitigated waterfowl hunting loss of 18,000 man- days annually. Of this amount 17,000 man- days would be associated with the Bonneville Basin- specifically Goshen Bay, Provo Bay, and Benjamin Slough. The 1,000 472 |