| OCR Text |
Show other undesirable insects. Sufficient ecological evaluation to allow further discussion of this problem has not yet been carried out. Under Unit conditions there would also be esthetic problems connected with the production of distasteful odors emanating from the large amounts of decaying organic plant and animal material that would be exposed as the bay area was draiaed. Esthetic losse. 3 would also accrue as existing wildlife would be displaced and either forced to abandon present ecological niches or would be destroyed. Enjoyment of the natural ecology of the bay area by naturalists would largely be eliminated. Some value of this nature would develop in Goshen Bay as a new ecological equilibrium would be attained. Vegetative Changes Substantial vegetative changes would take place on land scheduled to be drained and receive irrigation water. Existing plant communities would be removed and replaced with agricultural plants. Under the proposed plan about 29,000 acres of new land would be irrigated. Approximately 213,000 acres of presently irrigated Land would receive a supplemental water supply and some would undergo changes in crop production patterns. Recreational Development Construction of new reservoirs and enlargement of existing impoundments would indirectly cause esthetic changes in the surrounding environment. The development of recreational facilities, even if properly planned and constructed, would generate increased utilization of areas by man. Such utilization would result in visual impacts, which would be unattractive to some observers. The undesirability of recreational development would be most intense in the present wilderness setting of the Upper Stillwater area. Planned recreational development would improve the esthetic quality of Strawberry Reservoir. 366 |
