| OCR Text |
Show and processing of environmental statements, ( 2) Sought the expertise of state and Federal cooperating agencies, universities, environmental groups, civic and political entities and responsible individuals; and ( 3) Utilized its entire staff as necessary in the preparation of this environmental statement. As a result of the comments received on the Bonneville Unit draft environmental statement, including the oral testimony presented at the public hearing, additional studies have been initiated or programmed to gather baseline information and for input data for future statements. The final statement on this Unit has been expanded in a genuine effort to adequately cover all items mentioned during the review period for which data are available. Issue 26: The projected water " requirement for the" Wasatch Fro'rit area has been over estimated because it was based upon out- dated population estimates. Need for additional water for municipal and industrial power and irrigation uses is questioned. Issue raised hy: Sierra Club and several individuals Response: Population projections, when based upon actual census figures and reasonable expected growth rates, are an essential part of resource development planning, particularly as they relate to municipal and industrial requirements. They are not intended to be precise but give an indication of future distribution of people and expected water needs. Various population projections made to the year 2020 vary as much as 32 percent ( refer to Section A, Figure A- 2) and no one will know until the 2020 census which one of the projections is nearest the actual count. Comparing a population projection based upon the 1970 census, adopted by the Utah State Division of Water Resources, with the higher Harline . populatioji projection used in the Bonneville Unit Definite Plan Report of 196k, 1 ® < at the year 1990 there is only a 9 « 0 percent difference. This is considered to be well within the expected accuracy of population projections as discussed in paragraph A2b. The Harline projection was used in the Bonneville Unit Definite Plan Report of 196J+ because it was the most current projection available at that time. More recent population projections proposed by a task force composed of personnel from various State and Federal Agencies still show that Salt Lake County would absorb all of the Bonneville Unit allocated municipal and industrial water by about 1995. Officials of the Salt Lake County Water Conservancy District have testified that the Bonneville Unit is needed immediately. This is 679 |
