While I appreciate the informative article “Preservation fight simmers over the ‘Mormon Landscape,’” a major consideration in the equation has been neglected — i.e., the lack of water for further development.
Five generations of my family have come from Spring City and I cannot remember a time when water was not an issue. Years ago, irrigation water shares were issued without the required matching volume of water.
If one were to accurately calculate water shares issued with the amount of water available, there would be a discrepancy.
There are two water systems in Spring City. The first is the municipal culinary water system and secondly the irrigation system. The Horseshoe Irrigation Company services outside watering.
It is here the worst miscalculations have occurred. The required one share per acre is inadequate to meet the needs of the current residents. Every summer, lawns burn, gardens go dry as the water is shut off.
Let’s remember, one share per acre equals one foot of water covering one acre. This water comes from snowpack which is an unreliable source. This year, Sanpete County has experienced the worst drought in 130 years.
Furthermore, Spring City was founded as an agricultural community. There are very few farmers with the skills, land and equipment to maintain this tradition. Do we want to sacrifice their agricultural knowledge
for developers? There will not be enough water for anyone, especially those in the agricultural field. Didn’t we learn from recent history the importance of locally grown food?
It goes without saying Spring City has a special role in Utah’s history and, indeed, national history.
If we lose the agrarian feel and the sense of history, what kind of stewards of the land and culture are we?
It is disheartening to witness the personal agendas impacting this national treasure. Certainly, we are a more generous society with an eye to future generations.
Sue Jensen Weeks, Spring City
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