Minutes
Attendees:
Lee Duncan (UACD), Ray Loveless (UACD, Mountainland AOG), Barbara Carey (NRCS, RC+D), Clark Garn (NRCS), Lindsey Brown (NRCS), Kent Wilkerson (Morgan County), Mike Luers (Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District), Larry London (Morgan County Commission), Mary Perry (Friends of E. Canyon Cr.), Paul Dremann (Trout Unlimited), Kay Richins (Richins Brothers Livestock), Carol France (East Canyon Resort), John Whitehead (DEQ Division of Water Quality), Ross Anderson (MacFarlane Ranch), Theron Miller (Division of Water Quality), Steve Noyes (Bureau of Reclamation ), Kathy Kinsnan (Citizens Allied for Responsible Growth), Karen Nichols (Stantec Consulting), Tanya Manson (Citizens Allied for Responsible Growth)
Agenda Item – Ray Loveless introduced Lee Duncan as the new Upper Weber River Watershed Coordinator.
Lee gave a brief synopsis of his experience and background. He stated that his part of the watershed extends from East Canyon Reservoir dam and Echo Creek up to the headwaters of the Weber River. Darrell Eddington is the Watershed Coordinator for the lower portion of the Weber River watershed.
Agenda Item - Logo and Website:
- Website - Karen Nichols stated that Stantac Consulting has been funded for 3 years to update and maintain the East Canyon Creek website (www.eastcanyoncreek.org). The website will be updated quarterly after each committee meeting with the meeting minutes and other issues discussed by the committee. Other suggestions for updates included adding a list of 319 projects, adding a general watershed map and pictures and documents related to East Canyon Cr. Clark Garn suggested Lee and Darrell post reports on current goals and projects they are working on. Karen asked people to email her pictures and documents they thought could go on the website. Karen will be working with Lee to make the recommended site improvements.
- Logo - Karen is considering using the East Canyon logo with the sun and mountains. It was suggested the logo could be re-designed with three mountains instead of two. The logo should be done in the next month. Ray Loveless stated he wants to get hats with the logo and "East Canyon Watershed" printed on them.
Agenda Item – Report of RC+D Conference:
Barbara Carey reported on the RC+D Conference that took place on April 21st-23rd in Park City. The water component of the conference focused on water rights, water development, stormwater management, water for wildlife and water conservation for municipal and industrial uses. She stated there will be an Urban Encroachment Workshop in Summit County on October 14th, 2004. The exact location will be determined at a later time. She passed out brochures for the Summit County Weed Management Program. She also mentioned the Summit County Park Project near the fairgrounds in Coalville. The project currently has $40,000 for trail development and park improvements.
Agenda Item – Envirothon:
Ray Loveless informed the committee about the Utah Envirothon that took place on May 7th and 8th in Park City. The Envirothon is a competition between teams from high schools all over the state. The teams are given real life environmental problems to solve, such as land management, and are scored on their solutions. It is a good opportunity for kids to become active in environmental issues. Jennifer Hines in the UACD (Utah Association of Conservation Districts) Logan office is the contact person for interested parties.
Agenda Item – EPA Section 319 Grants:
- New Grant Update - John Whitehead stated the grant proposal submitted last year did not get funded for various reasons and a current 319 grant was rewritten to use some of the money for an instream flow study on East Canyon Creek. He informed the committee that section 319 now requires watershed management plans and handed out draft copies of the East Canyon Watershed Restoration Action Plan. He requested comments on the plan by July 15th. Ray asked if grant proposals should be submitted for this year and John said there is money that needs to be spent before new proposals are submitted unless there is a specific project. Ray suggested Lee Duncan write a proposal in order to get experience. The grant proposal deadline is August 1st.
- New Projects - Ray Loveless introduced Kay Richins. Kay grazes approximately 2400 sheep on East Canyon Resort property, Goldfleck property and his own private property and has submitted a 319 proposal for spring developments on each of the properties. The justification for the project is to eliminate the need to trail the sheep to the reservoir for water. This will minimize sheep waste near the reservoir which is a source of phosphorus and erosion due to the trailing. The total cost of the proposal is $81,000. Ray suggested the Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program (WHIP) be used for additional funds and stated the present 319 grants are primarily for riparian improvement and restoration. Ray and John Whitehead will look at funding the portion of the project on East Canyon Resort property at a cost of $51,000 if the present grant can be changed to incorporate spring development. Other new projects include a project at Park City Mountain Resort in which John Whitehead is working with the resort to develop.
Agenda Item – Governor’s Watershed Initiative/ Adopt a Waterbody:
Mary Perry briefed the committee about the Governor’s Watershed Initiative Day that took place on May 15th. Participants cleaned up trash and planted willows along East Canyon Creek on the Swaner Nature Preserve. Turn out was good and the day was a success. The High Country Fly Fishers adopted a waterbody to clean up. Mary’s group, the Friends of East Canyon, received a certificate for participating in the Watershed Initiative. Other issues covered by Mary were educating the public about cleaning up dog waste and monitoring golf course water use.
Agenda Item – Wetland Issues:
Ray Loveless informed the committee of a wetland violation taking place in the Silver Creek Junction area. A concerned citizen, Ricardo Vallarta, reported the violation to the US Army Corp of Engineers and a cease and desist order was given to Anderson Development. It was reported Anderson Development had been ditching the wetlands in order to dry them up and spraying to kill the wetland vegetation. The ditching and spraying has been done in a way that the Corp of Engineers is limited in their authority to regulate Anderson Development therefore the elimination of the wetlands may continue. Anderson Developments questionable environmental practices were brought to the committee’s attention. Theron Miller talked about the negative impacts the loss of the wetlands would have to East Canyon Creek. The wetlands act as a filter for stormwater runoff and other pollutants that would otherwise reach the stream. Mary Perry suggested writing a letter, as a group, to the governor to bring awareness to the issue. Ray said he would give Ricardo Vallarta’s contact information to anyone who is interested.
Agenda Item – Contractor for In-stream Flow Study:
Mike Luers updated the committee on hiring a contractor to conduct an in-stream flow feasibility study for East Canyon Creek. Klinefelter, CRS and Barnetts have been contracted to study historical flows and look at options to purchase water rights to keep more water in the stream. The study got started last week. The Canyons Resort has been approval for a golf course and has purchased senior water rights for 200 ac/ft of water out of McLeod Cr, a tributary to East Canyon, for $2,000,000. This could become a problem for keeping in-stream flows in East Canyon due to the fact that 200 ac/ft is probably more than 50% of the flow in McLeod Cr during summer low flows. The water right must be changed in order to be used for the golf course and it was suggested the committee and individuals should protest the changes when they become public. Mike also mentioned a seepage study being done on East Canyon Creek by the US Geologic Survey. The study will be done this summer and should be completed by the end of the year.
Agenda Item – Bureau of Reclamation Contract to Look at Water Issues:
Steve Noyes reported that the Bureau of Reclamation has a memorandum of understanding with Park City and Summit County to inventory water needs. It includes $450,000 for feasibility studies and is presently looking for contractors. The studies will address short term and long term water needs and demands for the Park City and Snyderville Basin areas. A feasibility study is being done to look at transporting addition water through the Rockport pipeline from the Weber River to the Snyderville Basin area. Paul Drumann asked if BOR is looking at downstream issues from Rockport Reservoir, specifically about flushing flows to improve the fishery. Steve stated that right now the Bureau is not addressing that issue.
Agenda Item – Monitoring:
Theron Miller reported that the macro-invertebrate sampling has indicated an improvement in phosphorus and sediment levels in East Canyon Creek over the last two years. It was suggested the reservoir would probably show the same results. A progress report will be completed next year for the monitoring.
Next Meeting:
The next meeting for the East Canyon Technical Advisory Committee is set for September 1st, 2004 at 9:30am at the East Canyon Resort.
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