Lake faces permanent damages from possible dredging
Bear Lake, one of Utah’s scenic destinations, is surrounded by controversy – the possible dredging of the lake schedule begin in May 2002.
The lake is nestled in the Rocky Mountains on the borders of Utah and Idaho. People from all over the West travel to it for its recreational and ecological value.
Some say this pumping will threaten all the aspects of the lake people enjoy.
The residents of the communities surrounding Bear Lake enjoy it just as much as anyone who visits it, said Bart Lusty, a member of the Bear Lake Watch organization.
The Bear Lake Watch is committed to preserving the lake.
“I’ve brought my 11-year-old daughter to the lake ever since she was knee-high to a grasshopper, and she’s a lot better for it,” Lusty said.
He said he would hate to think of what his life or his daughter’s would be like if the lake were dredged.
Currently, Bear Lake is approximately 5,916 feet above sea level. PacifiCorp – a company connected with Utah Power and Light – has a contract to deliver water to companies in times of drought, said David Eskelsen, company spokesperson for Utah Power.
Next year will most likely be a year when those relying on water from the Bear River and Bear Lake are going to need the assistance dredging the lake provides, Eskelsen said.
“Our company is designed to help the region weather a severe drought,” he said. “Of course, if weather conditions permit, dredging might not be necessary.”
If the pumping needs to be done, it will go to an intake channel called the Lifton Pumping Station. This station regulates the flow of millions of gallons of water. Some of this water is used for electricity, but most of it is sent to the farmers who use the water for irrigation purposes.
The contractual agreement states that PacifiCorp can pump the lake down to 5,904 feet. The company will start pumping in May. They will complete the project in September 2002, but the lake’s level will remain that low for at least 10 years.
If the lake is dredged to this level, 80,000 cubic yards of sand and silt will be removed.
Lusty said there are several problems that could occur should the dredging take place.
“There is a chance that the oxygen level will start killing fish,” he said.
Bear Lake is currently the home to four species of fish that haven’t been found anywhere else in the United States. It houses 160 types of birds.
The Bear Lake Watch Web page www.bearlakewatch.com, states that dredging the lake – which is known for its turquoise color – results in discoloration of the water and inaccessible beaches.
Ducks Unlimited, an environmental agency, has been restoring the habitat around the lake since the last major drought occurred, approximately five years ago. Their Web site www.ducks.org, claims that pumping the lake will undo all of the work they have done and will threaten the fish and birds.
“I can understand [others] concerns, but you have to recognize that PacifiCorp has operated this lake for more than 80 years and the water-level quality figures that I see on this lake are no different than they were 20 or