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Show The environmental and social impacts of constructing dams and reservoirs in the canyons of eastern Salt Lake County would be significant. The recent move by citizen groups and conservationist groups to " save our canyons" was a contributing factor in Salt Lake City's unsuccessful attempt to obtain the bid to the 197& Winter Olympics. Activities in the Wasatch Front canyons are being restricted considerably. A general degradation of the esthetics in the canyon would result from the construction of any dams and reservoirs. The resulting mudflats in the reservoirs caused by the drawdown would be visible from many places within the canyons. Removal of borrow material for construction purposes would alter the terrain and, in many instances, leave scars which would decrease the beauty of the area. ( 3) Weather Modification ( a) Description of the Alternative Weather modification could be considered as an alternative source of municipal and industrial water for Salt Lake and Utah counties, instead of Bonneville Unit imports from the Uinta Basin. The prime target area for seeding would be the Wasatch Mountains in the eastern portion of these counties. Increased runoff would occur in Wasatch Front streams and would be diverted from the streams near the points of use. The physical features required to store and regulate the increased runoff would be similar in scope and concept to those required in the development of the local streamflows described in the previous paragraphs, except that more and larger facilities would be required. Weather modification represents a source of new or additional water by producing runoff from precipitation that normally would not have fallen in the area. During the colder season ( November through April) the mountains act as a natural storage area for precipitation in the form of snow. Research programs now in progress under the direction of the Bureau of Reclamation ( Project Skywate. r) and others indicate a good possibility of increasing precipitation and the streamflows about 15 percent. Project Skywater is a coordinated effort of specialists in all fields related to weather modification. One concern with weather modification relates to wilderness areas. 507 |