OCR Text |
Show Construction activities would result in some landscape scarso The flat nature of the terrain to be cleared is conducive to restoration. The borrow areas for impervious materials for the embankment of the dam would be located primarily in the reservoir basin below normal water line. During years of maximum drawdown ( 100- 200 feet) these areas would be visible. Pervious materials would be obtained from along the portion of the Provo River that would be inundated. Some landscape scars softened by water action would be visible during low water years. During construction there would be undesirable levels of noise and dust as well as unattractive visual impacts associated with the earthmoving processes,, About 15 miles of U. S. Highway 40 and U. S. 189 Alternate ( State Road 151) would be relocated to allow for construction and inundation. The water would reach to the north approximately 3 miles up U. S. Highway 40 toward Silver Creek Junction. The proposed realinement of U. S. 40 would be west of and generally parallel to the existing road along the west shoreline of the reservoir. The planned re- routing for U. S. 189 Alternate runs eastward towards Francis and would be parallel to the present roadway on the south shore of the east arm of the reservoir. The environmental impacts of the road relocations would be evaluated and discussed in a detailed environmental statement prior to construction. About 200 acres of land would be cleared to construct the new roads. The construction of the dam and reservoir would also require the relocation of 19.. 5 miles of Utah Power & Light Company powerlines and a switchyard and 7.2 miles of Mountain Bell telephone lines. The impacts of the road relocation would mostly concern loss of esthetic value due to construction disruptions and loss of animal and bird habitat. ( b) Upper Provo River Reservoir Stabilization According to the UoS. Forest Service, the dams and spillways of all 15 of the reservoirs located near the head of the Provo River require some degree of rehabilitation in order to stabilize existing water levels. The present annual water utilization schedule allows the reservoirs to be almost completely drained by the end of the summer. The Bonneville Unit plan proposes that 14 of the 15 reservoirs could have stable water levels,, This water would become available through exchange for water in Jordanelle Reservoir. The stabilization of water levels would be expected to substantially improve the recreational potential of this area. 242 |