Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
APPENDIX B SALT LARK COUNTY WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT RATIONING PLAN NOTICE OF WATER RESTRICTIONS Dear Customer: In order to meet our water delivery demands throughout the County, it is now necessary for us to ask your cooperation in observing the following limitations in using your water this summer: 1. The use of outside water should be limited to four (4) total hours per week for residential users. This amounts to about half the water used in previous years by the average homeowner outside the home. 2. Outside watering should be limited to the hours between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.. 3. Even numbered homes may water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 4. Odd numbered homes may water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. 5. No outside watering should be done on Sundays. 6. Schools, public parks, condominium projects, apartment complexes, etc., are asked to water between midnight and 8:00 a.m., where possible. Total watering hours per week should be one half of the time used in 1976. Based on this program an even numbered home could water two (2) hours on Monday, one (1) hour on Wednesday, and one (1) hour on Friday, or four (4) hours on Monday with no watering on any other day. TEM TOTAL WATERING TIME SHOULD NOT EXCEED FOUR (4) HOURS IN ANY WEEK. -114-
-115- Related to these limitations we recommend limiting new landscaping to that which can be supported within the watering schedule. Gardens are included in total outside use and must be watered accordingly. Other uses of water such as for car washes, commercial nurseries, industries, air conditioning systems, and household use for bathing, dishwashing, etc. are not ~ ~~ are encouraged to eliminate the waste of water and to conserve whenever possible. The schedules recommended are in conformance with reductions in outside use which were outlined for the public on February 18, 1977.: Discussions on March 6th indicated that as much as five hours of outside watering per week could be accommodated. Snowmelt and runnoff in the Wasatch Canyons is occurring earlier than anticipated resulting in the reduction to four hours. Public cooperation in what is a serious condition is the key to our success. Failure to meet reduced water use requirements will bring serious water shortages this summer. Additional measures to enforce a reduction in water use such as penalty charges for excess use and ordinances restricting outside water use with civil penalties are being prepared for enactment by the Salt Lake County Commission and the City Councils if voluntary response to our problem is not successful. The schedule for outside watering outlined will result in adequate water supply for basic needs through this summer if it is followed by everyone. Failure to conform will result in the more restrictive actions to protect public health. being restricted at this time but the users WHAT DOES FOUR HOURS OF WATERING PER WEEK MEAN? This figure is based on a limitation of 36,000 gallons of water per month for an average residence. The average monthly use inside the home is approximately 14,000 gallons per month. This leaves 22,000 gallons for outside use. Four hours per week is recommended as an average watering time for a residential user to achieve this limitation. The following tables can be used to determine if vou should water for a longer or shorter the 36 000 Cal ions ner month ~ , ~ time in order to maintain _ _ ,--- =~ - r-- limit on total use. From Table 1, select the combination of sprinkling methods you use at one time in
116 your yard and note the total flow in gallons per minute. Then in Table 2, read the hours per week you may water to stay within your watering limit, according to your total flow. TABLE 1 Type of Watering Device Hand Held Hose Full Flow Without Spr inkl er Ring Type Sprinkler on 50 Foot Hose Spray Head Sprinkler System Rainbird Type Sprinkler on Sprinkler Sys tem or Has e Rotary Head Sprinkler System TABLE 2 Total Flow Gallons Per Minute 10 15 20 25 30 Flow in Gallons Per Minute at Average Pressure 12 8pm 8 8pm 6 8pm per head 10 8pm 8 8pm per head Hours Per Week 18 9 6 4.5 3.5 3 Additional information on watering systems and ways you can conserve water in your yard can be obtained from your local nurseryman. Proper mulching and water use in your yard can reduce your outside water requirements by over 50 percent. If you have any questions concerning the above information, please contact:
117 THE SALT LAKE COUNTY WA17E:R CONSERVANCY DISTRICT P.O. Box 15618 3495 South 300 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 Phone: 262-7421
-119- UPDATE OF WATER SITUATION Present Water Situation 1976 is now officially the driest calendar year in recorded history for the State of Utah with 7.71 inches of precipitation as compared to the previous low of 8.10 inches in 1966 and the average of 11.36 inches in normal years. The chances of getting enough moisture in the coming weeks before spring are very slim. Arlo Richardson, State Climatologist for the Department of Agriculture reported on the thirteenth of January of this year that Utah would need nearly record-breaking moisture in January, February, and March to avoid drought conditions this summer. He reported on that date that only once in history has enough moisture fallen in Utah from January through March to equal the amount Utah now needs by April 1. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Soil Conservation Service states in its report entitled "Water Supply Outlook for Utah as of January 1, 1977:" Utah's spring and summer water supply outlook is poor, as Utah enters the new year with a record low mountain snow pack. Measurements in the last days of 1976 reported many snow courses bare for the first time in their 30 to 40 year (recorded) histories. Areas that had measurable snow were only 10 to 20 percent of their 15 year January 1 averages. Reservoir storage over the state is near January 1 averages, however, many direct inflow facilities are well below typical January 1 levels after a long, dry summer and fall. The report goes on to state that unless the mountain snow cover improves over the rest of the winter, many areas served by stored water may well experience shortages. Our Position The District is heavily dependent upon stored water in Deer Creek Reservoir to meet its water demands in the warmer months of the year. The usable storage water in Deer Creek as of January 1 was 80500 acre-feet compared to an average for this date of 95300 acre-feet. These
-120- figures are a little misleading in that in a normal year Deer Creek's level would increase with the accumulation of the spring run-off. This year we are faced with a record low run-off and therefore, tine' reservoir level can only drop. There are steps being taken to compensate for this situation. Our District and Salt Lake City are pumping wells throughout the winter months tapping underground sources in an effort to reserve stored water for later use. Irrigators are holding their water in reservoirs for possible later sale or trade to municipalities. A complicated exchange of water from the partially completed Central Utah Project utilizing water in Strawberry Reservoir has been contemplated. Still, in spite of our best efforts and intentions, there will be, most likely, certain unavoidable curtailments in the distribution and use of water for this coming spring and summer for all of our customers. What You Can Do With this situation in mind water conservation becomes a matter of great importance. You can help now in a number of ways by not wasting water. Check your faucets and water connections to make sure they are not dripping or leaking. If they are, get them fixed. Don't run water unnecessarily. Shut the water off while you are brushing your teeth. Watch the length of your showers; don't fill your bathtub so full. Don't run water to cool it off when you want a drink (keep a chilled container of water in your refrigerator). There are many ways you can save water, if you will. You may not think that you or your family members alone can do much to help conserve water, but if each person in this valley could save but a few gallons each day, this small effort would result in the savings of many millions of gallons of water throughout the year when multiplied by the thousands of water users that we serve. Each person needs to do his or her part. Don't wait for summer and forced water use restrictions. Water saved now through sound conservation practices can help reduce the amount of curtailment that will be necessary this summer. Another thing - if you have recently moved into a new home and are planning a new lawn for this year, we advise that you wait to see what the water situation will be this spring and summer before you commit
-121- yourself to costly investment that you may not be able to sustain due to the lack of water. WILL THIS SITUATION EXIST DURING EVERY DRY YEAR? Not if we can continue conserving our supplies and can complete the Central Utah Project. You can help in our planning for future water supply needs. Future needs are predicted on the population and the water requirements per person. We know from our records how much water is used per home but we don't have an accurate determination of the number of people in each home. Please take a minute and write down the number of persons living in your home on the stub of your bill next to your name and address, we will then have an accurate basis for determining the water use per person in various areas of the District.
