| OCR Text |
Show 1445 N. 10 St. Manitowoc, Wisconsin 54220 September 3, 1979 Paul Kavanaugh Colonel, C.E. District Engineer, Army Corps of Engineers 650 Capitol Mall Sacramento, California 95814 Attention: SPKCO-0 Dear Mr. Kavanaugh: I request that the Corps of Engineers does not grant a 404 Permit requested by the Bureau of Reclamation for placement of fill material in the West Fork of the Duchesne River, Uinta Mountains, Utah. I make this request for the following reasons: The West Fork of the Duchesne River is only one of a number of valuable wild trout streams on the Uinta Range which will be dewatered and/or destroyed in the development of the Central Utah Project. The West Fork, like the others, has national significance to fly fishermen and to other recreationists across the nation today. Besides its environment.for prized game fish, the river also provides environment for beaver, moose, shore-birds, waterfowl, small mammals, as well as water supply for elk, deer bobcat, occasional cougar and bear. The number of recreation seekers on the Uintas is exceeding 50,000 people from all over the country every year. They hike, hunt, fish, photograph, kayak, throughout the Range. Wild mountain trout streams are increasingly rare in Utah, already; the demand for these cannot be supplied nationally. As this region of the nation develops industrially, these recreation resources will become far more significant and used. The value of these streams such as the West Fork of the Duchesne extend to recreation industries and to tourism. The Agencies responsible for management of wildlife and their habitat are increasingly concerned that they are able to meet the needs of the public for use of these public resources for recreation purposes. These public owners are demanding such uses on their lands. The dewaterlng and/or complete destruction of the West Fork of the Duchesne River, as well as of neighboring streams on the Uintas, is not necessary. The use of unlimited quantities of high quality stream water for purposes of growth and development of the western part of the State of Utah is an outmoded .concept. There are many untried opportunities for conserving water, for initiating dual water systems, for recycling of water, and for more efficient use of already available water which are legitimate alternative water supplies. Until such time as the State of Utah initiates water conservation programs to supply its water needs, the destruction of irreplaceable natural streams such as the West Fork of the Duchesne. River can only be considered a crime. |
