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Show Red Butte - Red Butte Canyon is the most pristine of all the Wasatch Front Canyons and it should be left in its present management scheme as a Natural Research Area of the Forest Service and that it serve as a benchmark for water quality in the other Wasatch Front canyons. Emigration Canyon - Water quality in Emigration Canyon is the poorest of all the watersheds. Although Emigration Creek water is not currently used for culinary purposes, the city owns two- thirds of the water rights and its use in the future remains an option. The city has refused sewer line access because Emigration Canyon is outside city boundaries. Canyon annexation has been controversial and forestalled for more than a decade. The watershed management plan recommends the city make an exception to its policy and grant sewer access. Parley's Canyon - The plan called for the city to restrict recreation at Little Dell Reservoir and denying public recreational use of Mountain Dell Reservoir in order to protect the public water supply. This has changed with the approval of the Army Corps of Engineers' low impact recreation plan around Little Dell Reservoir, which includes picnicking, non- motorized boating and fishing. Millcreek Canyon - Plans to use Millcreek water for future public water supplies are referenced as the reason for recommending the city increase its watershed management presence in Millcreek Canyon. Watershed management in Millcreek Canyon could be increased if plans are changed. At the present time, however, Millcreek is not being considered for culinary use Big Cottonwood Canyon - The plan attaches supreme importance to Big Cottonwood Canyon as a culinary water source and recommends the city not support any development not connected to the sewer. The plan also recommends the city work with the Forest Service and County Health Department to monitor water quality and conduct water quality mitigation measures. Little Cottonwood Canyon - The plan recommends the development of an inter- local agreement with Sandy City and Alta to define the management roles and policies to insure Little Cottonwood Canyon, which has the best water quality of all the Wasatch Mountain canyons, continues to provide excellent water quality. 6.3.5.2 Salt Lake County Wasatch Canyons Master Plan The purpose of the Salt Lake County Wasatch Canyons Master Plan is to guide and coordinate the allocation of future canyon usage in accordance with the present and future needs and resources within the seven major Wasatch Front canyons through the year 2010. The Salt Lake County Wasatch Canyons Master Plan is part of the Salt Lake County Master Plan and will be used to guide future land- use decisions. In addition to establishing county policy with regards to watershed and water quality issues, the plan addresses private land acquisition and exchanges, environmental issues, public safety, handicapped access, hunting, ski- area expansion, back- country skiing, helicopter skiing, single family development, off- road vehicle use, mining, livestock grazing, mountain biking, hiking, camping, and picnicking. The watershed and water quality protection policy set forth in the general policies section of the Wasatch Canyons Master Plan states: " Salt Lake County will continue to cooperate with Salt Lake City- County Board of Health, the U. S. Forest Service and Salt Lake City to implement antidegradation standards, stream set- back and environment zones, monitoring programs, enforcement activities and other canyon watershed policies to maintain excellent water quality in the canyons. All stream segments in the plan area have been designated by the state under the clean water act for antidegradation, which means canyon policies must prevent any water quality degradation." 6.3.6 Cloud Seeding Winter cloud seeding for augmentation of mountain snowpack is an accepted program in the water supply management community. Some projects in the western United States have been operated continuously for more than 30 years. This relatively long experience indicates that increases of 5- 15 percent in seasonal precipitation can be achieved. Cloud seeding in Utah is regulated by the Department of Natural Resources through the Division of Water Resources. A winter cloud- seeding program was started in the Jordan River Basin in March of 1988 following two years of below normal wintertime precipitation. The 6- 6 |
