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Show To bring the lands served by the Unit to peak production, an anticipated 21 miles of drains are necessary including about 1/ 2- mile of open drain and 20 1/ 2 miles of closed drains. The open drain would be a long- term disruption of the present use but would provide about 6 acres of new waterfowl habitat. Construction of the closed drains would cause a temporary 1- year disruption to about 200 acres. Approximately 6.6 miles of drains had been installed as of December 1972. The Unit supplies about 18,000 acre- feet of water each year for supplemental irrigation and about 1,600 acre- feet for municipal use. All water has been purchased and is presently being utilized. Impacts The supplemental water supply firms up the previous unde- pendable supply and in particular provides late irrigation season water to about 15,000 acres of cultivated land. This in turn supplements, or increases agricultural production and incomes of those who rely on agriculture for subsistence. As a result more people are able to make an adequate living and are able to remain in the rural area. This is desirable according to present National goals of population dispersion. Management, operation, and maintenance of the Unit provides three full- time jobs. As a result of more late season irrigation, Stewart Lake Waterfowl Management Area has received larger flows in the latter part of the summer and early autumn. The 1,600 acre- feet of municipal water is sufficient, using current per capita consumption rates in Vernal, to provide water for 3,330 persons. This water has allowed more people to move into the communities of Vernal and Maeser without decreasing the supply available to others. Steinaker Reservoir has been developed as a recreation site which provides boating, swimming, water skiing, and picnicking. The reservoir, rated as a Class II fishery by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources,'^ is being stocked with approximately 50,000 rainbow trout each year. Bureau of Reclamation surveys show that the reservoir is currently supporting about 40,500 visitations each year. H-* The Unit provides flood control and has significantly reduced the threat of serious flooding. However, damaging floods on Ashley Creek have occurred in 1965 and 1968. The 840 acres of land inundated by the reservoir included cultivated land and areas vegetated with native grasses 407 |
