Keep Lake Powell
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Gale A. Norton
Interior Secretary
U.S. Dept of Interior
1849 C St, NW
Washington DC, 20240
Dear Secretary Norton,
Its no mystery that since the Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1963, environmentalist groups have strived to get the dam decommissioned. If the Bureau of Reclamation got rid of the Glen Canyon Dam the negative effects would far outweigh the positive. In the past during times of drought, water levels in the Colorado River System have dropped dramatically; in times of abundant water flow, the Colorado River System refills. These changes in the water cycle are necessary for the ecosystem. With the snow pack this year at 192\% we feel that the west is ending its drought cycle and Lake Powell will begin filling with water.
The following is a list of a few of the most compelling reasons to keep Lake Powell in place:
- Silt: Many groups who would like Lake Powell drained claim that the lake will fill with silt in the coming decades, therefore making recreation hopeless and rendering the hydroelectric facilities in the Glen Canyon Dam useless. The fact is these groups have missed the mark by nearly 700 years. Silt is not the problem environmentalist groups would have you think it is. Lake Powell will provide power and recreational opportunities for hundreds of years.
- Evaporation: In these times of drought in the West, we cannot afford to have our water supply evaporate away. Glen Canyon is a perfect place for water storage; its deep gorges and steep canyon walls keep the water cool. Evaporation rates in lakes around the country can reach up to 11\%, even near by Lake Mead is at 9\%. Lake Powell, with its 2\% evaporation rate, has been one of the most efficient reservoirs that the Bureau of Reclamation has ever constructed.
- Water Quality: Some people claim that Lake Powell is a polluted lake, while in fact it is the exact opposite. Lake Powell is one of the cleanest lakes in the nation because of initiative taken by the National Parks Service. The lake has many laws against littering, and the dumping of waste. All waste must be disposed of properly, for this reason they have increased the number of restrooms and pump-out docks throughout the lake. All garbage you bring into the area must be taken with you when a campsite is left vacant. Any refuse left on the beach by campers may eventually end up in the lake, because of the waters drastic fluctuation. The National Parks Service has organized a group of volunteers called Trash Trackers. This group walks around cleaning up the beaches from April-November to ensure we have a clean and safe Lake Powell.
- Hydroelectricity: The Glen Canyon Dam is a major producer of this renewable and clean form of energy. There are many advantages of using hydroelectricity: It is easily maintained, it uses water, a readily available resource, it doesnt use, or emit heat of any kind, and it is not harmful to the environment. Unlike fossil fuel, hydroelectricity doesnt give off sulfur-oxide (the leading cause of acid rain), or carbon dioxide. Since the Glen Canyon Power Generating Station was completed in 1966, the dam has stopped the release of 320 billion pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere (www.lakepowell.net/myths.html).
- Environment: Although some of the native fish to the area might be declining in population, it isnt justified to take the home away from the many non-native animals that now call Lake Powell home such as the Bald Eagles, falcons, trout, tamarisks, to name a few. Before the dam was closed off to start the creation of the reservoir, native fish like the Colorado pike minnow, bony tail chub, humpback chub and humpback sucker were on the verge of becoming endangered.
- Local Economy: The economy of Page, AZ, thrives on the money made from Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. Without these bringing in money, Page and small towns surrounding the area would not survive, forcing these people to relocate. The Navajo Generating Station (NGS) not only helps Page, but also the Navajo Nation. The NGS hires around 1,600 Navajos; this helps to alleviate some of this tribes forty percent unemployment rate. The NGS gives the Navajos $21 million a year, and pays $12 million in taxes a year, $ 8.1 million of which goes to Utahs public education system.
- Water Conservation: Along with assuring water storage, the West must take measures to conserve the water we have. The Southern Nevada Water Authority recently implemented laws that have helped save water. They are giving incentives for residents to remove grass. Incentives such as coupons for car washes that use recycled water, and discounts on pool covers to minimize evaporation. They have also made fees higher for those who are wasting water. Golf courses cannot use more then 6.3 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre of golf course. Thirty-two million square feet of grass was replaced with water-efficient landscaping, this change alone is saving 2.8 billion gallons of water each year. From 2000-2001 Southern Nevada saved 13.5\% of water used. If these regulations were applied to all states using water from the Colorado River the water storage would be immense.
We feel that the reasons for draining the reservoir are inadequate. With continuing research scientists will develop more environmentally friendly ways to store water and create power in the coming decades. Until this research is done, keeping Lake Powell in place is the only appropriate option. Secretary Norton, we call on you to issue a conservation statute to protect Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam for the next 20 years.
Interior Secretary
U.S. Dept of Interior
1849 C St, NW
Washington DC, 20240
Dear Secretary Norton,
Its no mystery that since the Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1963, environmentalist groups have strived to get the dam decommissioned. If the Bureau of Reclamation got rid of the Glen Canyon Dam the negative effects would far outweigh the positive. In the past during times of drought, water levels in the Colorado River System have dropped dramatically; in times of abundant water flow, the Colorado River System refills. These changes in the water cycle are necessary for the ecosystem. With the snow pack this year at 192\% we feel that the west is ending its drought cycle and Lake Powell will begin filling with water.
The following is a list of a few of the most compelling reasons to keep Lake Powell in place:
- Silt: Many groups who would like Lake Powell drained claim that the lake will fill with silt in the coming decades, therefore making recreation hopeless and rendering the hydroelectric facilities in the Glen Canyon Dam useless. The fact is these groups have missed the mark by nearly 700 years. Silt is not the problem environmentalist groups would have you think it is. Lake Powell will provide power and recreational opportunities for hundreds of years.
- Evaporation: In these times of drought in the West, we cannot afford to have our water supply evaporate away. Glen Canyon is a perfect place for water storage; its deep gorges and steep canyon walls keep the water cool. Evaporation rates in lakes around the country can reach up to 11\%, even near by Lake Mead is at 9\%. Lake Powell, with its 2\% evaporation rate, has been one of the most efficient reservoirs that the Bureau of Reclamation has ever constructed.
- Water Quality: Some people claim that Lake Powell is a polluted lake, while in fact it is the exact opposite. Lake Powell is one of the cleanest lakes in the nation because of initiative taken by the National Parks Service. The lake has many laws against littering, and the dumping of waste. All waste must be disposed of properly, for this reason they have increased the number of restrooms and pump-out docks throughout the lake. All garbage you bring into the area must be taken with you when a campsite is left vacant. Any refuse left on the beach by campers may eventually end up in the lake, because of the waters drastic fluctuation. The National Parks Service has organized a group of volunteers called Trash Trackers. This group walks around cleaning up the beaches from April-November to ensure we have a clean and safe Lake Powell.
- Hydroelectricity: The Glen Canyon Dam is a major producer of this renewable and clean form of energy. There are many advantages of using hydroelectricity: It is easily maintained, it uses water, a readily available resource, it doesnt use, or emit heat of any kind, and it is not harmful to the environment. Unlike fossil fuel, hydroelectricity doesnt give off sulfur-oxide (the leading cause of acid rain), or carbon dioxide. Since the Glen Canyon Power Generating Station was completed in 1966, the dam has stopped the release of 320 billion pounds of CO2 into the atmosphere (www.lakepowell.net/myths.html).
- Environment: Although some of the native fish to the area might be declining in population, it isnt justified to take the home away from the many non-native animals that now call Lake Powell home such as the Bald Eagles, falcons, trout, tamarisks, to name a few. Before the dam was closed off to start the creation of the reservoir, native fish like the Colorado pike minnow, bony tail chub, humpback chub and humpback sucker were on the verge of becoming endangered.
- Local Economy: The economy of Page, AZ, thrives on the money made from Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam. Without these bringing in money, Page and small towns surrounding the area would not survive, forcing these people to relocate. The Navajo Generating Station (NGS) not only helps Page, but also the Navajo Nation. The NGS hires around 1,600 Navajos; this helps to alleviate some of this tribes forty percent unemployment rate. The NGS gives the Navajos $21 million a year, and pays $12 million in taxes a year, $ 8.1 million of which goes to Utahs public education system.
- Water Conservation: Along with assuring water storage, the West must take measures to conserve the water we have. The Southern Nevada Water Authority recently implemented laws that have helped save water. They are giving incentives for residents to remove grass. Incentives such as coupons for car washes that use recycled water, and discounts on pool covers to minimize evaporation. They have also made fees higher for those who are wasting water. Golf courses cannot use more then 6.3 acre-feet of water per irrigated acre of golf course. Thirty-two million square feet of grass was replaced with water-efficient landscaping, this change alone is saving 2.8 billion gallons of water each year. From 2000-2001 Southern Nevada saved 13.5\% of water used. If these regulations were applied to all states using water from the Colorado River the water storage would be immense.
We feel that the reasons for draining the reservoir are inadequate. With continuing research scientists will develop more environmentally friendly ways to store water and create power in the coming decades. Until this research is done, keeping Lake Powell in place is the only appropriate option. Secretary Norton, we call on you to issue a conservation statute to protect Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam for the next 20 years.
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