By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
Some strides have been made between Nephi Irrigation
Company leaders and Nephi City officials as to leaving water
in Salt Creek so that the water can be maintained as a
fishery.
"I think it is pertinent to report to the council on
what is being done," said Chad Brough, mayor.
He said the council had thought it a good idea to form
a committee with the irrigation company to discuss ways to
meet the needs of the irrigation company and the city
without conflict.
Brough sits on that committee and said he thought
progress was being made with the two groups agreeing on many
of the issues.
"Our work proves we can solve problems without taking
the problem to other sources for settlement," said
Brough.
He said the irrigation company was considering placing
an irrigation line down the middle of the road coming from
the head of the creek diversion across by Tidwell's property
east of town and across the gravel.
The middle of the road was selected for the pipeline
because it will not interfere with utilities which use the
sides of rights-of-way. The irrigation line will go down
through the middle of the city to the west fields.
"We need studies to determine how much water is needed
to sustain a fish," said Brough. That will determine how
much water should remain in Salt Creek as it travels through
town.
There was money available to help with such
studies.
Water may be placed in ponds in order to store it. One
of those may be by the Jones Well located in mid Nephi.
There could, in fact, be several ponds constructed.
Some work will go into Big Hollow to upgrade it so
that it can handle overflow water in a flood year, said
Brough.
A drainage plan improvement is being considered to
enhance the way water flows from one end of town to the
other, east to west.
"There is also money available to help with the GIS,"
said Brough.
Once the city and the irrigation company agree to the
terms then each will sign a legal document which will settle
just what each entity is responsible for and how much water
each will get.
"It has been, and will continue to be, a real asset to
the city to develop a plan for how Salt Creek will be
controlled to the benefit of both organizations," he
said.
There will be some talk on the secondary irrigation
system, said Brough.
"The taxpayer lies to see entities work together for
the benefit of the public because they feel they are getting
the best bang for their buck," said Brough. "All local
entities need to work together from now on out."
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