The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-06
JOHN E. D00LY WRITES
ABOUT UTAH LAKE INFLOW

Salt Lake City. Dec. ;. 1s0i.-To the
Salt Lake Herald: / am surprised at the
Use made of the letter of Professor
George l. Swendsen. addressel 10 the
writer, which was published IN The Her
ala OF Sunday last.
obtained this letter TO lefute the
statements of the council water commit
tee concerning the "unmcasured' inflow
into Utah lake.
The ex-members Of the CITY council
are all cOgniZant Of the annual quarrel
between the farmers bordering on Utah
lake and the canal commissioners. re-
garding the impOunding of the wat ers in
Utah lake during the years 1893 TO 1888
inclusive.
The farmers strenuously objected to
closing the gates lest il wOJld cause
a temporary overflow Of the iand border
ing on the lake.
Members of the Commercial club natur-
ally made inquiry why the lake surface
had lowered TO such an extent that II
was now necessary TO use pumps at the
outlet and also if the supply was suf-
ficient TO furnish the Increased amount
of water that would be required by the
installation Of another pump and the
execution of the contemplated exchange
agreement with the Cottonwood farm
ers.
The answer given, briefly stated, was
about as follows:
That the supply was ineShaustible and
that the greater portion OF 1t was OBJ
tanned from springs. Also that tnis TACT
was verified by the published reports Of
the United States geological survey.
This statement / undertook 10 verify,
and obtained the letter referred to-
The published report for the year end
ing Aug. 81 1903. was as follows.
Measured inflow from streams tabout
81 per cent?. 1G0 coo acre-feet.
Inflow from other sources (anont % per
cent?. 215.OO0 acre-feet.
Total inflow, $4,000 acre-feet.
An examination of the report will show
HarrA Of tfg -fr-al ans G
ured.
The official report for the year ending
Aug. 81. 1904. shows very different re-
suit, tO-Wit:
Measured inflow from streams (about
Is per cent?. 4T1.l0 acre-feet.
Unmeasured supply about p per cent?,
1887 acre-feet
Total. 604 90 acre-feet.
At the date of the meeting Of the
Commercial club the city water commit
tee was not aware of the later report,
hence the letter. An examination Of the
reports for the two years will show that
the "unmeasured supply was as fol-
lows:
For the year ending Aug. 81. 1903 S.
per cent.
For the year ending Aug. l. 1908 %
It will be observed that the l5ter re-
port shows that the water furnished from
springs, seepage, etc, is less than one
third Of the amount upon which the
original calculation was based.
To demonstrate further that TINS mat
ter is not receiving the attention to which
il is entitled, / will state that no MEM
Der of the committee had this infOrma-
tiOn until ] obtained it from Professor
George L. Swendsen and read 1t at the
meeting.
There is no question but that tine citi-
Zens of Salt Lake City desire an in
creased supply of water. nut If the city
IS going TO issue bonds TO the extent
of $3.50 900 the matter of supply should
be carefully Investigated. Ia this case
il is evident that il has not been done.
JOHN e. DDOLY.
The communication Of Professor Swend-
sen seems clear on this point In the
first computation he explains that the
water Of Spanish Fork and Provo river
only was included-the other streams
flowing into Utah lake We're not meas
ured for the year 1923. From tho two
streams measured he computed that g
per cent of all the water of The lake
was supplied. This would leave So per
cent to be supplied not from springs,
seepage. etc. but from all ether un-
measured streams flowing into the lake,
as well as from springs. seeUage.- etc.
In his computation for the -car 1904
the water from every stream flowing into
the lake is included. All the streams
produce IS per cent OF the entire lake
supply. leaving p per cent to he sup
Piled from springs, seepage, etc.
----o-<z1 go
Take PiSO's CIre For CODSfp1pt ION