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Show 46 DIXIE PROJECT, UTAH The total Federal development costs for providing basic recreation facilities in anticipation of visitation estimated to' total 150,000 visitor- days annually at the Virgin City Reservoir, has been estimated at .$ 455,700. The Lower Gunlock Reservoir would be a relatively small impoundment of 483 surface areas, located on the Santa Clara River, approximately 25 miles west of the Virgin City Reservoir site. The reservoir would be situated in a narrow, colorful valley flanked by steep, broken hills and would be accessible from U. S. Highway No. 91 which comes within 5 miles of the site. As compared to the Virgin City Reservoir, this impoundment would not be as easily reached nor would its operating plan be as attractive for outdoor recreation use. For these reasons, only one small site is recommended for the estimated 20,000 visitor- days of public use which would be primarily : of local origin. The cost of developing public use facilities commensurate with anticipated needs; at the Lower Gunlock Reservoir, is estimated at $ 243,700. I thank you. Mr. ROGERS. Our next witness is J. C. Snow, treasurer of the conservancy district and representing the , St. George City. Mr. Snow. STATEMENT OF J. C. SNOW, TREASURER OF CQFSERVANCY DISTRICT Mr. SNOW. Thank you. Chairman Rogers, ladies and gentlemen, we are indeed happy to have you come to our county to investigate our Dixie project, to see the need for it and to hear for yourselves how important this project is to the growth and development of Washington County and the cities and towns in the comity. The Virgin River and the Santa Clara Creek are the only sources of water that we have access to, and both of these sources tend to dry up in the early part of the summer. But there is, as a general rule, quite a lot of runoff water in the winter and spring and quite a bit of flood water that would be enough to fill our needs if it could all be stored and released as we needed it. As a group of us were up at the site of the proposed dam a few days ago, we were viewing the dam that diverts the water into the Hurricane Canal and also viewing the canal itself. Someone made the statement that if we today had the courage and the ambition that our pioneer forefathers had, we would take the equipment that we now have and would go ahead and build this dam without asking the Government to loan us the money. But I guess, unfortunately, we do not have that kind of courage and ambition nowadays, so we are asking the Government to help us out. Our forefathers gave their very lives to conquer and develop this dry arid section of the State of Utah. Now it is our desire, our duty, to protect and continue to develop the only supply of lif egiving water left in our area capable of supplying our vital needs; namely, the waters of the Virgin River and the Santa Clara Creek as programed under the Dixie project. St. George and Washington County can only continue to grow if and when the Dixie project becomes a reality. The city of St. George is dependent on this supply for its future municipal water and the farmers of Washington County are looking to this supply to augment their present meager water supply for raising crops. |
