East Canyon Watershed Committee
Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District Office
March 1st, 2005
9:30 am
AGENDA
1. Welcome and Introductions
2. New Chairman nominations – John Whitehead
3. Education Plan – Karen Nichols
4. Water Festival – Insa Riepen
- Green Building Seminar – Insa
- Renewable Energy Conference – Insa
- Haz-Mat Collection Event - Insa
5. East Canyon Creek Restoration Project update – Lee Duncan
- Stream Alteration Permit – Ray Loveless
6. Stream Flow Forecast based on SNOTEL data – Ray Loveless
7. East Canyon Flow Augmentation Study – Mike Luers
8. Update on House Bill 157: Water Enforcement Procedures & Penalties – Lee Duncan
9. Re-activation of sub-committees – Lee Duncan
10. Next Meeting
PDFMINUTES
East Canyon Watershed Committee
Meeting notes for 3/1/2005
Attendees:
Lee Duncan (UACD), Ray Loveless (UACD, Mountainland AOG), Mike Luers (Snyderville Basin Water Reclamation District), Bruce Sanders (Morgan County) , Mary Perry (Friends of E. Canyon Cr.), Tim Hawkes (Trout Unlimited), John Whitehead (DEQ Division of Water Quality), Bill Bradwisch (Division of Wildlife Resources), Craig Schaugaard (Division of Wildlife Resources), Kent Wilkerson (Morgan County), Shannon Herstein (Bio-West), Insa Riepen (Recycle Utah), Jill Schroeder Grams (Bio-West), Karen Nichols (Stantec), Kent Wilkerson (Morgan Co. Engineering), Kathy Kinsman (CARG), Lee Broadbent (NRCS), Daren Rasmussen (Div. Water Rights), Jeff Schoenbacher (PCMC), Lee Baxter (BOR), Steve Noyes (BOR), Paul Dremann (Trout Unlimited), Derrick Radke (Summit Co.)
Agenda Item
Ray Loveless thanked everyone for coming and asked everyone to introduce themselves and state what organization they represent.
Agenda Item
John Whitehead gave an update on finding a new chair person for the c ommittee. Thus far no one has been willing to accept the position. Ray Loveless said that other watershed committees around the state are chaired by Soil Conservation District members. This allows them to get paid for their work as chairman. Ray stated he will stay involved with the committee but he feels the new chair person should live in the watershed.
Agenda Item
Insa Riepen gave an update on the Green Building Seminars, held in Park City. Monthly seminars on environmental friendly building practices have been well attended. They take place on the 3rd Friday of each month at Miner’s Hospital in Park City.
Insa informed the committee of a Renewable Energy Conference that will take place on April 5, 2005 in Heber City at the Wasatch Co. Library from 8:30 to 4:00. The conference will focus on renewable energy for farms and ranches. The conference is free and everyone is invited to attend.
Insa also informed the committee about the next Haz-Mat collection event. It will be held on May 7th, 2005 at Recycle Utah and it is free. An EPA grant has been applied for to purchase a permanent Haz-Mat trailer.
The Water Festival for 4th grader in Summit and Wasatch Counties will take place on April 21st, 2005. Contact Insa at Recycle Utah for details and to become involved.
Agenda Item
Karen Nichols past out draft copies of the Information and Education Plan she has developed for the committee. The plan requires approximately $35,000 to $50,000 per year for 5 years. Karen went over the items in the budget table for the plan. She would like comments on the plan in about 3 weeks. Comments can be sent to Karen, Lee Duncan or Ray Loveless. Ray said the education plan is the missing piece to the overall watershed plan. Because the funding for the I & E grant that was submitted has been cut, there is no funding to implement the plan at this time. Lee Duncan will be going after additional funding sources. John Whitehead stated there may be funding available for the I & E grant. Karen said in different watersheds there are coalitions made up of different industries and organizations that all bring money to the table to implement information and education programs. Committee members will have to look outside the committee to bring groups in that have money available such as the recycled oil industry.
Agenda Item
Lee Duncan gave an update on the progress of stream restoration on East Canyon Creek. He informed the committee that the Swaner Nature Preserve has acquired about 150 Christmas trees to be used in revetments for bank stabilization. They have also ordered about 150 trees and shrubs with an additional 100 cottonwood trees coming from Northern Arizona University. They have also collected about 400 willow cuttings. Lee said he has developed two restoration plans for homeowners on Old Ranch Rd. He is waiting to hear back from them. Ray Loveless asked Lee Broadbent about the 910 Cattle Company. Lee said he does not have any info right now but will have an update at the next meeting.
Ray thanked Daren Rasmussen and Lee Duncan for all their work on the stream alteration permit for East Canyon Creek. Ray and Daren have received a lot of calls concerning the permit. Daren said when people understand what we are trying to do they are very supportive. The permit will be approved within the next week. Daren stated he would like pre-notification before work is done on the stream. Ray explained it is illegal to do work in the stream without a permit. This permit covers East Canyon Creek and the tributaries. Individuals must work through the committee to be covered under the permit.
Agenda Item
Ray Loveless passed out data he had downloaded from the SNOTEL website. He explained the Weber River Basin is at about 116% of average snowfall and at 124% of average precipitation. Karen Nichols suggested a link should be put on the East Canyon Website to the SNOTEL data site.
Agenda Item
Mike Luers gave on update on the flow augmentation study for East Canyon Creek. Copies of the study can be downloaded from the district’s website at www.sbwrd.org or Mike would give anyone a copy that requests one. Mike stated the committee should be familiar with the study. He also said the district has authorized $900,000 for a water reuse system to be put in parallel to the new sewer line. He explained that if someone wants to use the reuse water they will have to put the same amount of water they use back into the creek. This could put water back in the stream higher in the watershed. Steve Noyes said the Bureau of Reclamation has conducted a study which looks at water needs for the Snyderville Basin area for the next 50 years. A public meeting will be held on March 30th to discuss the report. The location of the meeting has not been set. The final report will be out in late fall.
Agenda Item
Lee Duncan passed out information on House Bill157 – Water Enforcement Procedures and Penalties. Lee highlighted the major points of the Bill and gave a status report. As of Feb. 28th the Bill had been approved by the House and Senate and had gotten sent back to the House with amendments. The Bill will dramatically increase fines and penalties for such things as diverting water without a water right and diverting water in violation of a water right. Mike Luers said he was concerned the state doesn’t have funding to enforce the new regulations. The suggestion was made that the committee could try and fund someone to help enforce the new regulations.
Agenda Item
Lee Duncan asked the committee to re-activate several of the sub-committees. He explained that the restoration projects and education plan should be discussed and implemented through the Riparian/Fisheries and Education sub-committees. Bill Bradwisch, who is chairman of the Riparian/Fisheries sub-committee, asked to be replaced as chairman. Bill recommended Russ Lawrence as a replacement. He did say he would help get the sub-committee back together and asked anyone who is interested to contact him. Karen Nichols asked who should sit on the Education sub-committee. It was suggested that Swaner Nature Preserve, Summit Co, Recycle Utah, Jake Wilbur, Summit Health Department and Park City be involved with the sub-committee.
Agenda Item
Next meeting will be held on June 2nd at 9:30 am at the East Canyon Resort
