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Show capital investments which range from $ 25 million for alternative C and $ 45 to $ 50 million for Current Situation and alternative A. • With respect to protection and management of those resources which are the direct responsibility of the state, such as wildlife, recreation, hydrology, or ecosystem health, the economic study found no significant advantage in controlling lake level. Human activities related to the enjoyment of these resources might be curtailed during periods of high lake level but would still continue. Wildlife managers see benefit in periodic flooding of managed marshes, worth the cost of replacing damaged structures. Salinity Management The economic study supports the selection of salinity management regimes which minimize differences in salinity between the north and south arms by at least two important measures: the amount of revenues which are generated over a range of lake levels and stability provided for all industries which currently rely on lake salinity. The preferred management alternative proposed by DNR ( lower the breach by four feet and keep culverts open) also has the advantage of moderate modifications to the causeway. The economic study finds the highest potential for total revenues by keeping the south arm of the lake at salinity above 10- 11 percent except during period of very high lake levels. The study also finds that as long as salinity in the north arm are maintained at 17- 19 percent or higher salinity level, that all industries ( e. g., brine shrimp, north and south mineral industries) have the potential to achieve production levels that meet or exceed current production for years when lake level is below 4205 feet. The differential between north and south arm still exists, but allows north arm mineral and brine shrimp production. This is in contrast to the extremes ( current conditions, culverts closed on the one hand or pre- causeway, with a uniform salinity in the main body of the lake on the other), where there are significant swings in production for the brine shrimp and north arm mineral industries, in counterpoint to each other. Under the preferred alternative, there are no swings in production for any lake industry. Some production is maintained although there may be greater production or profitability under certain lake conditions. The south arm mineral industries experience less fluctuation in their ability to produce under a given range of lake level and salinity conditions although they experience reduced profits in periods of lower salinity. 219 |
