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Show occurring flood water flows, ( b) residual flows and return flows occurring low on the river systems, ( c) salvage of water by control of evaporation and phreatophytes, and ( d) use of Utah's remaining Colorado River entitlement. ( a) Development of Irregularly Occurring Flood Flows To develop each succeeding block or portion of these erratic flows into a firm supply would require an ever- increasing amount of storage capacity. For example, the U. S. G. S. estimates that the usable yield of the Jordan Valley frontal streams could be increased by 23,000 acre- feet by construction of 116,000 acre- feet of new storage capacity on these streams. 32 The U. S. Corps of Engineers has proposed the Little Dell Project, which would require a 30,000- acre- foot reservoir on Dell Creek- a tributary to Parley's Creek, to develop about 8, U00 acre- feet of high quality water. '° The main problem would be finding a reservoir site of adequate size that would be economically and environmentally acceptable. In addition, as the carryover time increases between the occurrence of peak flood flows and the use of stored water during extreme drought periods, much of the supply would be lost by evaporation, and a point of diminishing return would soon be reached. ( b) Development of Residual Streamflows Development of residual flows low in the Jordan River system also would present the problem of locating economically justifiable and environmentally acceptable storage sites. Development of these flows would also have an additional problem of water quality. Salt Lake County is presently investigating two multipurpose reservoirs on the Jordan River. Additional low quality supplies could be developed at these sites for heavy industrial use. Treatment would be required prior to other uses. The quality and quantity of water available to water fowl and wildlife habitat around Great Salt Lake would be diminished as consumptive use was increased. The residual supply to Great Salt Lake would be less and the level of the lake would gradually lower and the shoreline recede. ( c) Salvage of Water by Control of Evaporation Phreatophytes Evaporation loss from water bodies could be decreased by reducing the surface area of the impoundment and by the 183 |
