OCR Text |
Show would be conspicuous. There would be problems in locating disposal areas for the tunnel spoils, particularly on the steep terrain where the second tunnel would be located. Careful contouring and revegetation techniques would be required here. Most of the remainder of the aqueduct would be in open canal sections situated on rolling bench or valley lands. The Mona- Nephi Canal would extend about 24 miles along gently sloping land. It would consist primarily of open sections with several short sections of buried pipeline. An operating road would be provided on the downhill bank for the entire reach of the canal. No particularly difficult construction or restoration problems are anticipated because of the favorable topography of the land. However, the open sections would be visually conspicuous from Interstate Highway 15. This visual impact would not be foreign to this area which already contains several irrigation canals. The buried pipeline connecting the canal to Mona Reservoir would not present any permanent visual impact. The Nephi- Sevier Canal would be a higher elevation, 27- mile extension of the Mona- Nephi Canal. Virtually all of it would be unlined open canal. Restoration of construction disturbances would not be difficult. The required pumping plant would be located about 2 miles south of Nephi near the highway. The environmental impacts of the water distribution system would be of variable intensities. Improved irrigation would yield agricultural benefits at the local and State levels. Attractive green vegetative zones would develop along the open channels. These zones would also develop into desirable habitat for pheasants and other birds and animals. The adverse impacts would be associated with the change of natural landscape. The esthetic quality of the mountainsides would be reduced by construction disturbances but it would be questionable whether the appearance of the remaining portion of the system would be esthetically distasteful. Additional adverse impacts would be concerned with the safety hazard to humans and animals produced by the open canals, particularly when they were full. The open sections of the system would also hamper migration of deer to 267 |