bridge over utah lake

[stefan]

what on earth is wrong with the mentality in utah??! why is there such a drive towards development? OHV roads and energy extraction, sprawling wasatch front and back, reservoirs all over the place, powell pipeline, 500,000 people in washington county, a dam in zion, a highway through escalante, tunnels through the wasatch, ... a bridge over utah lake??

keep it undeveloped, as it was, as it should be ... jayzus man

development doesn't always equal progress


A Future Highway Across Utah Lake? It's Possible

PROVO - Imagine a busy highway stretching across Utah's third-largest lake. It just could happen.

A Utah County lawmaker is trying to persuade the legislature to contribute $3 million toward the vision, so that a highway can be built across Utah Lake. If this idea doesn't already sound familiar, the proposal has actually been attempted in the past. Similar projects have been envisioned at Utah Lake over the past 50 years but nothing was ever done about it.

Rep. Ken Sumsion (R-American Fork) has asked the legislature for $3 million to fund a study which would determine whether the benefits of a lake highway would be worth the cost of construction and environmental sacrifices.

In the meantime, at least two private investment groups have already proposed building toll roads across the lake to link the west and east sides.

Sumsion said that Utah County's growing population makes the idea more feasible. At least one estimate puts Utah County's population at more than 1 million people by 2040.

However, opponents of Sumsion's idea say the $3 million would be better-spent cleaning up Utah Lake's already-polluted ecosystem.

The bill is now in the hands of the Utah House Transportation Committee.

[CarpeyBiggs]

I am meeting with the Utah Lake Commission this morning, I'll ask them what they think of this... It's always been talked about, but never seriously considered, from what I know. Perhaps they are rethinking it?

[DiscGo]

I am VERY against a bridge across the lake.

[Sombeech]

If it restricts the recreation on the lake, the concept will be shot down.

If they make it so recreational watercraft can freely drive under it, it will be too expensive.

I hardly see this as a serious concept.

[trackrunner]

If it restricts the recreation on the lake, the concept will be shot down.

If they make it so recreational watercraft can freely drive under it, it will be too expensive.

I hardly see this as a serious concept.

QFE&T exactly what I think. In Idaho along the snake river the bridges are high enough to allow watercraft to go under, though I still believe water craft must slow down while approaching it.

$3 million, any serious bridge will cost way more than that.

[CarpeyBiggs]

3 million is just for the research.

At any rate, I talked to Reed Price, director of the Utah Lake Commission this morning. This is a serious proposal. Whether or not it happens is debatable, but they are looking at possibilities. It would likely go from the west shore just south of Saratoga Springs, and connect in at either 1600 north in Orem, or Center street in provo.

Of course, all of that would be contingent on research, environmental impacts, etc...

For more info, take a look at http://utahlakecommission.org/. The commission is still in it's infancy, with the master planning process just barely starting. But, if you want to get involved, this is a good starting point.

Lots of potential for this lake, I hope the multiple entities with a stake in it will be prudent in their planning. Would make an awesome resource for Utah in the future.

[Mtnman1830]

I can think of better ways to spend 3million...

[accadacca]

I would rather see the lake developed into a recreational resource. It does has great potential. IMO it has never reached it's recreational potential.

[DiscGo]

Did you guys know that Utah lake before Geneva and even more before the Mormons came here was a beautiful lake filled with tons of fish?


The pioneers of this valley used to fish Utah lake all day every day as their main food supply. Eventually one of the Stake Presidents declared there was to be only set times it could be fished because it was being over done. The state of Utah tried to fix Utah lake by release a non-indigenous fish in to it (carp) which led to more problems for the natural fish population of the Lake.

Even before Geneva (back during the depression) there used to be passenger ferries that would take people out to see the many birds on Bird Island (an island on which I have only seen a couple of birds now).

And then Geneva pumped in to it for year completely changing the color and smell of the Lake.




I don't know if it is really true but an old lady in my ward here in Provo says that when she was a little girl Utah lake was as pretty as Bear lake. I would like to think that is just people remembering things more fondly but who knows?

[Jaxx]

I encourage people to stay out of that disgusting murky lake that smells like poo. It is a danger to your health and your children will grow extra body parts if exposed to the radiation coming from the lake.


So I can have more room when I go boating. Is that selfish?

[accadacca]

Some conversation from another thread. . .

This is a little off the subject. But do you remember when Geneva had that pipe going out into the lake. They used to call it the "bubble up" because it would bubble about 200 feet from the shore at the end of the pipe. What the hell were they pumping into the lake? I think that I heard it was just exhaust or something, not sure. But some of my friends used to say "hell no" to water skiing out there. Any real reason not to be in the water at Utah Lake or even eat the fish for that matter. Of course Geneva is long gone now.

Not sure what they were pumping, but the days of Utah Lake being nasty are pretty much long gone. The public still fears it, for some reason, but it is coming back nicely. Fortunately, a new commission to protect and revitalize the lake has been approved by the legislature, and hopefully it will continue to come back.

The biggest issue right now are the carp. There are plans to remove up 50,000 pounds a day of carp out of the lake, for 150 days a year for the next 7 years, in an attempt to get the population to a manageable level. Once that happens, the vegetation will come back on the bottom of the lake, and the wind won't be able to tear up the shallow bottom, and it might even be clear again... Let's hope, it is a fantastic resource to have just sitting out there, waiting to be reclaimed.

There is absolutely no reason not to waterski on Utah Lake. It just gets a little murky sometimes, but there is no other issues to be concerned about. But hey, when it's only 10 minutes away, it's pretty nice.

Yeah, it is great to have it so close and the mountain views on that lake are terrific. It's a shame that is got misused, but I am glad that they are cleaning it up.

I can think of a few good reasons that the lake sucks for watersports. First and foremost is the deceiving depth and the randon sand bars. Not only have we torn up more than one outdrive on that lake, but there have been a few times when I have wiped out on the wakeboard and found that I am only thigh deep in the water. Kinda makes you nervous not to be able to see depth or underlying objects.

[CarpeyBiggs]

Did you guys know that Utah lake before Geneva and even more before the Mormons came here was a beautiful lake filled with tons of fish?

True. Utah Lake was a prized cold water fishery in pioneer times. Full of trout, in fact. The fish actually got the pioneers through some of the times of famine. Hence, why it was fished so much.

The pioneers of this valley used to fish Utah lake all day every day as their main food supply. Eventually one of the Stake Presidents declared there was to be only set times it could be fished because it was being over done. The state of Utah tried to fix Utah lake by release a non-indigenous fish in to it (carp) which led to more problems for the natural fish population of the Lake.

Not sure about the stake presidents bit, but yeah, it was overfished. The Europeans who migrated with the pioneers suggested carp be planted as they are hardy, meaty, and reproduce very fast. A little too fast, unfortunately.

Kind of a catch 22, because the lake literally sustained the settlers in this valley for years, and without it, the valley wouldn't have been nearly as fruitful. But, the lake is paying the price now.

Even before Geneva (back during the depression) there used to be passenger ferries that would take people out to see the many birds on Bird Island (an island on which I have only seen a couple of birds now).

Yep. Utah lake used to have party barges on it. It was very common for folks to go out and have social gatherings on the lake.

In fact, there was a time when there were more than 20 resorts around the lake. Saratoga Springs? Used to be a resort, utilizing the hot springs (now closed, I believe). Center Street in Provo was another resort. Sandy Beach and Lincoln Beach both had potential.

Bird Island is still full of birds. Depends on the time of year. The beaches can be full of dead carp sometimes too, though.

And then Geneva pumped in to it for year completely changing the color and smell of the Lake.

Geneva didn't help things, but they are only one culprit of many. Raw sewage was pumped into it for years, lakeside development destroyed many of the freshwater inlets, and the carp destroyed the ecosystem. So yeah, it is pretty well messed up right now. Fortunately, the recovery of the lake is well underway, and most of the harmful toxins are not significant (unless you eat a lot of utah lake fish...)

I don't know if it is really true but an old lady in my ward here in Provo says that when she was a little girl Utah lake was as pretty as Bear lake. I would like to think that is just people remembering things more fondly but who knows?

Yep, it is pretty well documented that it was a clean beautiful lake. The bear lake comparison is not accurate though, because Utah Lake has always been very shallow. Bear Lake is very deep, which gives it the fantastic blue color.

[CarpeyBiggs]

I can think of a few good reasons that the lake sucks for watersports. First and foremost is the deceiving depth and the randon sand bars. Not only have we torn up more than one outdrive on that lake, but there have been a few times when I have wiped out on the wakeboard and found that I am only thigh deep in the water. Kinda makes you nervous not to be able to see depth or underlying objects.

True, it is shallow. I'm kinda surprised to hear that you've jacked your boat though. Away from the shores, it averages between 8-10 feet deep. Random sand bars aren't really that random. I guess just be careful?

[accadacca]

Wow Carpey. A wealth of knowledge you have on the subject. Very interesting.

I am waiting for Ice to pipe in, telling of his tales on the "party boats" and the booze they used to sneak in or something. Wait, is he THAT old?

[JP]

Wow, that is one large lake that isn't all that deep. I can see it being a DEP nightmare trying to decide how to handle the carp problem. I was thinking they could reclaim the lake, but you have that endangered sucker issue which kills the reclaiming idea.

We have a lake here in Connecticut, actually the largest natural lake here and it was loaded with a stunted yellow perch population. The state was warned of this impending problem and they ignored it. So, now they have a lake over-run with yellow perch. It affected every game fish in the lake. This was back in the 50-60's right on through to the early 70's where they decided to get a handle on it. Connecticut always reclaimed lakes in the past and I'm sure this was in the works, but when the CT biologists were speaking with their peers, a Canadian biologist suggested introducing Pike into the lake. They would eat, grow, eat, grow and would end up not being able to reproduce and die off, only after greatly reducing the perch population due to their aggressive eating habits. So, they took the advice. To everyone's surprise, they reproduced in that lake and it is now a pike fishery. Even with them in the lake, other game fish made a comeback.

I wonder if this could be an idea for you guys, but that endangered sucker maybe just as much at risk of an aggressive predatory fish. Your DEP again has quite the task at hand.

As for the bridge; I'm sure the levels of PCB's and other hazardous chemicals have dropped since that plant is no longer. And they dropped in the lake due to sediment build up. The PCB's have been buried over time, but still are there. Capped by mother nature. If they decide to build a bridge, they will have to disrupt the lake bottom, causing the PCB's to be kicked back up. The pollution buried in the lake may keep the bridge from being built, as too the endangered sucker. It will be interesting to see what wins, progress or environmental.

It's a shame to see any body of water polluted, it was amazing what companies used to get away with. For the longest time, the fines were cheaper than the cost of hauling the hazardous material out. It was more cost effective to just dump into the waterways. It took too long for the fines to be costly enough.

[trackrunner]

Geneva didn't help things, but they are only one culprit of many. Raw sewage was pumped into it for years, lakeside development destroyed many of the freshwater inlets, and the carp destroyed the ecosystem. So yeah, it is pretty well messed up right now. Fortunately, the recovery of the lake is well underway, and most of the harmful toxins are not significant (unless you eat a lot of utah lake fish...)

Another culprit would be run off into the lake. In environmental science nitrogen run off from lawns and farms when it gets into water ways can feed algae eventually making the water way murky and over oxygenate. These help kill any plant life on the bottom and fish. Some fish depend on these plants to survive hence killing off other fish species. I believe this was observed at Chesapeake Bay. The study was written up in one of my science text books, and when I read it I instantly thought about, Utah Lake.

[Rev. Coyote]

Another culprit would be run off into the lake. In environmental science nitrogen run off from lawns and farms when it gets into water ways can feed algae eventually making the water way murky and over oxygenate. These help kill any plant life on the bottom and fish. Some fish depend on these plants to survive hence killing off other fish species. I believe this was observed at Chesapeake Bay. The study was written up in one of my science text books, and when I read it I instantly thought about, Utah Lake.

The Chesapeake Bay develops huge dead zones during the summer in which algae blooms use all the oxygen, and fish cannot live. All this thanks to the God-damned developers. I could go on and on about this, since I grew up on the Bay and have seen it ruined by ****ing profiteers, petty politicians, and cut-and-run real estate piss ants. A pox on them all, capetbagger reconstructionist scum!!!