The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-11-22
FAv0RS WORK
ON UTAH LAKE
Subcommittee of Commercial
Club Reports on Reservoir.
BROAD SUBJECT CONSIDERED
COTTONWOOD FARMERS WILL BE
CALLED INTO CONSULTATION.
BROAD SUBJECT CONSIDERED
NOTHER sesslon on the liz wate

A MOTHER session on the city water
n supply question was held at the
Commercial club last evening by
the executive committee of the clubs
water committee. The Utah lake reser-
voir scheme. the water supply in the
Cottonwoods and other phases of the
broad subject came up for consider
alton. One of the results of the meet
ing was the decision to ask the farm
ers of Big and Little Cottonwood to
meet with the committee at . O'Clock
next Wednesday afternoon at the club
TO discuss the subject and endeavor to
come to an understanding on both
sides.
The report of the subcommittee on
Utah lake, recommending the CONVEX
sion Of the lake into a reservoir, was
given careful consideration. In the re-
port the Subcommittee saws:
The investigations made by your SUBJ
committee convinces us that the effective
ness of practically all other plans for in
v 1lti5 IN salt Lake City's water supply
VIII be contingent upon the satisfactory
solution of the Utah lake problem Ia
considering the latter two points are to be
investigated. First the best way Of sfor-
ing all available flood or surplus waters:
and, second, the most feasible plan for
using the water so stored. We strongly
convert the lake into a reservoir with
capacity not only for storage for surplus
waters of dry seasons" but that the
natural capacity be increased by dvxin.r
tpe lower shores of the lake so that all
the surplus waters of excessive ''rainy
seasons can be stored and that AMIGA
pie arrangements be made without de-
lay win the people Of Utah county for
the aDr1gatlOn of the sO-called ''cOmpro-
mise level" Properly handled this can
Undoubtedly be done. Those having the
matter xsFH.f
should be broadminded enough to look
into the needs of the future.
Loss to Farmers.
The losses sustained through droutn
by the farmers OF Salt Lake county in the
last two years would purchase at fair
price a good sized strip of all land con-
uguOus to the low parts of the shores of
Otah lake and pay for the entertainments
REQUIRED TO empound the later to any
level required for the purpose in view
Many well acquainted with the lake urge
that the surface area be greatly reduced
and that much of the shallow part of the
iake De cut off by dykes and the new
land thus reclaimed used to. in part bear
face.
The chief advantage used BY advocates
of this plan is that in their opinion more
waters are lost in a season through
evaporation than are drawn off through
Jordan river
If possible, the level of the lake should
be maintained at such height, and the
outlet be so lowered that the water SUD-
ply for the canals in salt Lake county
INCLUDING that owned by Salt Lake city,
Will flow by gravity into said canals.
Inc immense pumps that have this year
been installed at the pumping station at
the mead OF Jordan river. have done more
To revive hope in the despaiTing farmers
supplied by canals from said river than
any other measure of relief suggested for
several years. But these pumps should
only be required to work in event of
unusual drouth. and those interested
could well afford to hold them in re-
serve while taking steps that VIII ordinar-
lily insure an adequate supply of water
by gravity.
Diversion of Feeders.
When this has been accomplished an
other important matter that should have
careful attention is the question of the
Illegal diversion of the feeders of Utah
lake by settlers whose lands have been,
by comparison with the lands of Salt
Lake county, but recently occupied. All
citizens of our state should rejoice at
the reclamation of the new lands and
should do all in their power to aid the
new settlers in their laudable work. But
no vested rights to water needed on lands
already occupied should be permitted to
be impaired or rendered comparatively
worthless by diversion OF the sources OF
water supply from lands long cultivated
to lands newly acquired: and it is not
questioned that the sources of supply OF
Utah lake have been diverted to much
new land within the past few years.
In the opinion of your committee, while
obtaining. if possible, flowing water from
streams east, either from the Duchesne
or its branches, is of the highest advant-
age, at the same time it is useless to pur-
sue that subject beyond securing titles
until Utah lake is converted into a res
erYoir capable of receiving such addi-
tiOnal supply. As part of our report. your
committee desires, by permission of State
Engineer Doremus, TO incorporate herein
epitome of "A report made by the lat
ter and to file a blue print of a map OF
the lake prepared by the state engineer
In this connection the committee calls at
tention to the fact that the subjoined re-
port OF the engineer was only intended
for the use of the government, and omits
any reference TO the inestimable advant-
ages which. through the Improvement,
urnuld accr1Ia Salt Lake CITY.