Deseret News:
Dreams fulfilled despite spill – When 33,000 gallons of Colorado crude oil broke loose from a Chevron pipeline two weeks ago, it swept a path of havoc and destruction from the edge of scenic Red Butte Garden miles west to the Jordan River.
Provo River dam alterations allow June sucker to spawn farther upriver – When the Fort Field Diversion dam was built on the lower Provo River in the early 1900s, it was designed to rechannel some of the water for irrigation.
KSL:
Restored songbird habitats proving fruitful along Provo River – Some Utah songbirds lost their freedom, briefly, Wednesday. Bird experts captured them on the fly in an effort to figure out if they’re thriving or declining.
Water quality officials visit one-of-a-kind wastewater facility – You can golf, hike, or even ride horses in Eagle Mountain, but taking a tour of the waste water facility is something you won’t find in any tourism brochures. However, it’s exactly what workers with Utah’s Division of Water Quality wanted to do Wednesday morning.
Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Lake’s June sucker making rapid recovery – The removal of a Provo River dam is paying dividends for the endangered June sucker. Biologists say the fish are taking advantage of an extra mile of spawning grounds above the Fort Field diversion dam.
KCPW: Utah water outlook good, despite low snowpack – Yesterday marked the latest measureable spring snowfall in Utah’s history. It’s the most recent storm in what’s turned into a cool, wet spring. That’s just the kind of weather the state’s water forecasters like to see when the snowpack is lower than average.
Salt Lake Tribune:
Archaeologists work on ancient ruins as dam construction begins – A site once occupied by prehistoric Puebloan people, which includes multiple American Indian remains, is being excavated before the place is scraped away to make room for a dam and reservoir.
Amateur biologists – A Utah angler, leading a flotilla of state biologists to the spot where he caught and killed three non-native white bass, may have saved the rainbow trout fishery at Deer Creek Reservoir.
KSL: $7000 reward offered in illegal stocking case – The Provo River is one of the most popular fishing spots in Utah. Recently, a fisherman there caught a white bass near the inlet of Deer Creek Reservoir in Wasatch County.
Deseret News: Biologists study otters as they adapt to new home – Wildlife biologists are encouraged about river otters transplanted in the fall of 2009 into the Provo River. The specialists are now gathering data on the otters to better understand how they are adapting to their new home.
Salt Lake Tribune: Feds seek public input on rerouting river for June Suckers – With carp eradication under way, federal officials are looking to the next step to make Utah Lake more hospitable to June suckers.
Deseret News: Proposal for treated groundwater could affect Great Salt Lake – Bolstered by a four-year, $2 million study and more than two decades of planning, a project that aims to pipe the byproduct of treated groundwater to a bay at the Great Salt Lake is inching forward.
Scientific American: Awash in Awareness: Knowing a product’s “Water Footprint” may help consumers conserve H2O – If you think your morning cup of joe only has 12 ounces (35 centiliters) of water in it, you’re sorely mistaken—it has closer to 40 gallons (150 liters). Conservation scientists say it’s time consumers become aware of the quantity and source of water that goes into growing, manufacturing and shipping food.
The Spectrum:
Fish release rejuvenates species – The effort to re-establish populations of endangered fish species in the Virgin River continues, as wildlife officials released 2,500 Virgin River Chub into the water near Hurricane, on Tuesday.
Enoch discusses area water rights – The Enoch City Council met with Sen. Dennis Stowell, R-Dist. 28, and Rep. Evan Vickers, R-Dist. 72, Wednesday night to ask questions pertaining to legislation that could affect Enoch.
KSL: Saving rare fish may require moving mouth of river – Saving Utah’s endangered June sucker may require moving a river. Federal officials this week announced they’re in the early stages of planning a project to shift the mouth of the Provo River as it flows into Utah Lake.
Here’s a related story that is fascinating. Watch the video to see thousands of carp being pulled out of Utah Lake… awesome! Plus, Reed Harris from the Division of Wildlife talks about the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program.
Millions of unwanted carp removed from Utah Lake – For the past couple of years, a project has been underway to remove millions of unwanted carp from Utah Lake. The carp destroy the habitat for the June sucker, a rare and endangered fish.
Wall Street Journal: Midwest braces for floods – A massive snowpack in the Upper Midwest and along parts of the East Coast have set the stage for potential record floods in the coming weeks, possibly pushing back the planting season in the Farm Belt and prompting intense preparations to reinforce levees and draw down reservoirs.
Best Use of Colorful Vernacular goes to David Berg, "The river is going to look like a snake that swallowed a pig."
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