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Show 1 SECTION 15 STATE WATER PLAN - JORDAN RlVER BASIN WATER- RELATED RECREATION Climatologically, Utah is one of the nation's driest states. Access and immediacy to water, in all its natural and man- made settings, is extremely important to Utah's recreating public. 15.1 Introduction The purpose of this section is to describe the Jordan River Basin water- related recreational resources, to identify problems and needs, and to offer some recommendations. This evaluation includes passive and active recreational activities as well as resident and non- resident tourism and educational aspects ( i. e. recreation programs, interpretive programs and skill training) performed in an outdoor water- related activity ( streams, lakes, wetlands, rivers, reservoirs and swimming pools). Water- related recreational activities can be divided into two groups; those requiring direct contact with the water and those recreational activities which benefit from the water in a more indirect way. Activities which require direct contact with water include fishing, hunting, swimming, boating, sailing, wind surfing, scuba diving, water skiing, personal water craft uses, jet skiing and remote controlled model boats. Recreational activities which benefit indirectly from the presence of water include hunting, camping, picnicking, hiking, bicycle riding, mountain bike riding, ATV use and touring. Water- related activities ( e. g. fishing, hunting camping, picnicking, water play and sunbathing, power boating, and swimming) typically rank among the top outdoor recreation activities. 15.2 Setting Aside from the Jordan River, the Great Salt Lake and a few small reservoirs in the Wasatch Mountains, Salt Lake County has no major lakes, rivers or reservoirs. Consequently, opportunities for recreational activities involving direct contact with water are limited. At the north end of the county, the Great Salt Lake represents the largest recreational water attraction. Ever since the first settlers entered Salt Lake Valley, the Great Salt Lake has been a source of curiosity and a recreational attraction. Current recreational facilities on Great Salt Lake within Salt Lake County include the Great Salt Lake State Park and Saltair Resort, a privately developed facility. Other water- related recreational activities include several privately owned and operated hunting clubs, a significant number of county and city owned swimming pools, as well as several privately owned and operated water theme parks and swimming pools. Quite a few city and county parks offer picnicking and other day- use activities in the immediate proximity to ponds, small lakes and streams. One of the big uses of Jordan River water is the establishment of privately owned and operated duck clubs. These facilities use existing flows of the Jordan River to enhance marsh areas along the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake. The skiing industry is a major recreation activity in the Jordan River Basin and has a favorable economic impact upon the entire state. The U. S. Forest Service manages approximately 95,500 acres of forested lands in the Wasatch Range including much of the lands used by alpine and cross- country ski enthusiasts. This gives the Forest Service responsibility and control over much of the skiing activities in the basin. The federal government recently approved and partially funded a recreational component for the Little Dell Reservoir. This will make the little Dell Reservoir available for limited recreational activities in the future. 15.3 Organization and Regulations 15.3.1 State The Utah Legislature created what is today the Division of Parks and Recreation in 1957. Lawmakers instructed the division to develop parks and recreation areas and preserve and protect 15- 1 |