07-17-2016, 03:03 PM
I agree TD. It's kind of embarrassing the lake named after our state is in the shape it is even with "improvements". Overall it's an uphill battle with all the things that need to be fixed such as the water rights issue. Like I've said before, Utah is the worst water using state per person which is double trouble being in a desert.
I think part of what's going on with the Utah Lake situation is also because there are goals set in place for improving the Jordan River and The Great Salt Lake. I know for a fact there are goals set in place by the state for improving the Jordan River water quality. Part of improving that has to do with improving dissolved oxygen, decreasing temperature, nutrient load and stuff like that. Those changes can't happen with the river not flowing.
I think there realistically needs to be a compromise. Although yes, the river is running high the reality is that if those 3 or 4 canals weren't there, the Jordan River would be 3 to 4x higher than it currently is. I think a combination of more water going into UT Lake, less going into the canals but keeping the river actually flowing, and ultimately fixing the waste water solution is what needs to happen for a healthier Utah Lake and Jordan River Ecosystem.
Going into the field of natural resources recreation planning management for my future career will be interesting and exciting but I'm sure I will become very frustrated at times. To be honest, the DNR, forest service, NPS, BLM, etc. have relatively little power when it comes to what happens even though they're the ones who have the biology, ecology, etc. knowledge. The decision making starts with the governor and makes its way down a bit before it actually hits that land management agency. We don't have many senators and such with Utahns recreation interests in mind. I'll just leave it at that.
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I think part of what's going on with the Utah Lake situation is also because there are goals set in place for improving the Jordan River and The Great Salt Lake. I know for a fact there are goals set in place by the state for improving the Jordan River water quality. Part of improving that has to do with improving dissolved oxygen, decreasing temperature, nutrient load and stuff like that. Those changes can't happen with the river not flowing.
I think there realistically needs to be a compromise. Although yes, the river is running high the reality is that if those 3 or 4 canals weren't there, the Jordan River would be 3 to 4x higher than it currently is. I think a combination of more water going into UT Lake, less going into the canals but keeping the river actually flowing, and ultimately fixing the waste water solution is what needs to happen for a healthier Utah Lake and Jordan River Ecosystem.
Going into the field of natural resources recreation planning management for my future career will be interesting and exciting but I'm sure I will become very frustrated at times. To be honest, the DNR, forest service, NPS, BLM, etc. have relatively little power when it comes to what happens even though they're the ones who have the biology, ecology, etc. knowledge. The decision making starts with the governor and makes its way down a bit before it actually hits that land management agency. We don't have many senators and such with Utahns recreation interests in mind. I'll just leave it at that.
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