Knowledge: Ideas for comments about Logan River Watershed project

 JOIN your neighbors and oppose the Logan River Watershed Project

PLEASE submit YOUR comments in opposition to the Logan River Watershed Project 

by emailing Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov by June 22 at 5 pm. 

EMAIL:  EMAIL :::EMAIL:::EMAIL::::EMAIL

Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov

This might take a little as 10 minutes.

More info can be found at this link: CLICK HERE

FIND detailed information in a video of a 30 minute-long talk. 

(There is more written information here.) 

There are dozens of suggested topics for your comments below.  They tie back to this video.

Watch this 30 minute video about the impacts of the LRWP if you want to get some ideas for your comments.

COMMENTS TO CONSIDER:

Explain your experience with the Little Logan River and how you would be upset if there was no water during extreme drought (~25% of time in recent past). Your family may have used the river-side parks and Logan High School's access to the river for decades. How did the river shape your experience?

You could discuss the shocking EXPENSE of the project. Watch the video around minute 22:15 and also minute 8:45. 

You could discuss the DAMAGE that Cache Valley would endure if the Little Logan River had zero water flowing in it. Mud, algae, loss of family recreation (about minute 8) and health effects are discussed after minute 6. 

Are you tired of the Island area being a constant construction zone?  Please comment on that issue, the disruption, the air pollution, diesel fumes, and toxins arising from this plan.  See some about the issue below and around 8 minute.

 

You could recommend better alternatives like leasing the unused water to the Great Salt Lake.  See minute xx. 

Discuss your concern that a mere trickle of river water during future droughts would degrade your experience along the river corridor at Logan High, in River Hollow, Merlin Olsen, Fairgrounds, or other public spaces.  Check out the video at about 11:15.

Do you use the river as a therapy pool at Logan High? Please tell Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov how you would hate to see the river be dry, a trickle and perhaps plagued by algae.  That likelihood is exposed at about 11 minutes.

Do you live along a rebuilt water feature with limited or zero water, algal scum, weeds, and/or trash, stagnant water, mosquitoes breading in the water, please inform Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov how you would be upset to see more of this in our community. Explain possible impacts to your neighborhood.  Do you find the trade offs, the expense, the construction zone over many years to be worthwhile?

Some current canals will be piped but most may be converted into open dry ditches.  Are you worried that your property values might fall if there is no longer an open canal in your area? Are you concerned that large trees will die?  

Are you a water user who cannot afford the expense of installing a new irrigation system?  Farmers would need to install central pivots or water wheels to fully benefit from the pressured system.  Explain your situation.

Do you feel that your voice has been overlooked and denigrated by the years long process? Please explain to Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov that the public meetings did not meet your needs.  See minute 15.

Are you feeling heard?  Tell Ammon.Boswell@USDA.gov about this situation.  Please lobby your local lawmakers and board members of the Cache Water District to scrap this project.

You could explain that the federally protected Little Logan River is in danger from this project because sponsors would "lower the crest of the Crockett structure".  See minutes 15 and following. 

Are you concerned that the dying trees could injure our neighbors and cause property damage?

Are your families regular users of our parks, our High School river access, the Fairgrounds?  Please discuss how vital the health Little Logan River 

Are you concerned that the project is abandoning spikes and dangerous metal in the landscape?  

Example of the antiquated features in the irrigation system which are sadly also impaling hazard for kids.  Infrastructure like this will be abandoned in our community.  Grates, valves, gates, pipes, manholes covers and more are found along the canals.

You could explain that protecting the river, our health, well being, and public spaces requires the current diversion points to be maintained. View the first few minutes of the video. 

Please urge sponsors to lease the unused water right to the Great Salt Lake.  That would result in a quicker funding stream, far less disruption of our cities, would protect the water right, and retain amenities along the Little Logan River for our communities.  Check 18:45 for insights into the dire state of the Great Salt Lake.

OR discuss how your family budget cannot accord this extra expense.  Realize that 130 million dollars come directly from our local wallets but all the federal tax money is ours too. 

At a lifetime cost of $410 million Dollars, the sponsors are taxing everyone in order to provide a benefit to a small number of individuals, businesses and irrigators. See video after 22 minutes

Our communities cannot afford this luxury project that also destroys our Little Logan River's hundreds of amenities!

We could purchase about 1000 average homes in Logan with the amount of same money being sought by the sponsors of the LRWP.

Here is a map of what 1000 homes might look like. 

1000 homes make up about 30 Logan city blocks. 

The astounding expense of the LRWP must bring enormous benefit to be justified.  INSTEAD the project brings mostly harm to our community..

The operational cost of the Project are estimated to be almost 2 million dollars each year. Many projects funding by the federal program Pl-566 has TOTAL budgets of about 2 million dollars. See about 22 minutes in the video for more information.

We were unable to identify a single funded project under the PL-566 program with an installation expense of even close to the 310 million being requested by the LRWP.

Slides are here.