OCR Text |
Show 44 DIXIE PROJECT, UTAH We believe there could be some reduction in the project operating costs through the close coordination of the St. George City power system and the project power system. Thank you. Mr. ROGERS. Thank you, Mr. Parkinson. Mr. BURTON. Chairman. Mr. ROGERS. Mr. Burton. Mr. BURTON. I would just like to say to Mr. Parkinson that for someone who didn't know he was going to make a statement that was pretty good. Mr. ROGERS, Mr. Frank Oberhansley, Superintendent of Zion National Park. Mr. Oberhansley. STATEMENT OE PRANK OBERHANSLEY, SUPERINTENDENT OF ZION NATIONAL PARK Mr. OBERHANSLEY. Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, Governor Clyde, Senator Bennett, I have a statement here which was; prepared by Supervisory Park Planner John Moseley of the Southwest region, which I will present for the record. I submit for your consideration and the record a statement presented before the Subcommittee on Irrigation and Reclamation of the Committee of Interior and Insular Affairs of the Senate, May 7,1963,. by John J. Moseley, Supervisory Park Planner, National Park Service. This statement appraises the recreation aspects of the Dixie project with conclusions and recommendations developed as a result of a study of the proposed project. Living in close proximity to the proposed project I should like to present my personal opinion of the recreation potential of the Virgin City portion of the project and the relation it would have to Zion National Park. As of October 1, 1963, 614,432 visitors, representing every State in the Union and many visitors from other countries have enjoyed the scenic, scientific, and inspirational values of Zion National Park during the current calendar year to date. This compares with 552,946 visitors counted over the same period in 1962 or an increase of 61,486, which represents an increase of approximately 12 percent. We shall probably end the travel year with well over 700,000 visitors for the 1963 calendar year, an all- time record. We feel certain this trend will continue and because of its unique relation to Zion the Virgin City project will further stimulate travel and people from everywhere will associate the project with the grandeur of Zion. In this sense the Virgin City Reservoir will have more than local or regional significance. It will then become necessary to carefully plan and develop recreational facilities on the project to relieve the pressure on Zion before the saturation point is reached. This development should include good access roads from the main highway,, circulation roads, modern campgrounds, launching ramps, docking facilities, concession and other facilities required for the convenience of visitors. It will tend to increase visitor use on a year long basis; for there is no finer climate anywhere than we are blessed with in this unbelievably beautiful portion of southern Utah. From a recreation point of view the Dixie project is urgently needed. Money expended on the project is not really spent at all. It is money wisely invested on which this and future generations will reap rich dividends far beyond the original investment. |