SLC, Utah Lake water is toxic to Big Cottonwood Creek.
Salt Lake City, a great city, kindly consider saving Big Cottonturd Creek.
801-535-7600 council.comments@slcgov.com
All support the watershed efforts of:
- Salt Lake City's watershed Management Plan: November 1999 https://collections.lib.utah.edu/details?id=1144570
- Salt Lake City Public Utilities watershed objectives https://www.slc.gov/utilities/watershed/
- Town of Alta's watershed objectives https://townofalta.com/about-alta/watershed/
- Salt Lake County's Watershed Planning and Restoration https://slco.org/health/water-quality/watersheds/ Watershed Program's objectives
- State of Utah's Watershed Management Program's objectives https://deq.utah.gov/water-quality/watershed-monitoring-program/watershed-management-program
- EPA's watershed programs https://cfpub.epa.gov/watertrain/moduleFrame.cfm?parent_object_id=2868
- US Forest Service's Watershed Management & Restoration plans https://www.fs.fed.us/research/water-management/
- Utah Rivers Council's objectives https://slco.org/health/water-quality/watersheds/
- The Sierra Club's watershed objectives https://www.sierraclub.org/
- Seven Canyon Trust's https://sevencanyonstrust.org/ creek daylighting and watershed protection program
- Trout Unlimited watershed objectives https://www.tu.org/?s=watershed
- Snowbird's Environment Protection objectives https://www.snowbird.com/environment/
- Brighton's and Solitude's watershed objectives https://brightonresort.com/ https://www.solitudemountain.com/
- Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy's watershed objectives http://www.mwdsls.org/
- Central Utah Water Conservation District's watershed objectives https://cuwcd.com/
- Utah Lake Commission's watershed objectives http://utahlakecommission.org/ (The Official Website of Utah Lake)
- Salt Lake Tribune's watershed objectives https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=3936653&itype=CMSID
- Deseret News's watershed objectives https://www.deseret.com/2017/1/15/20604092/my-view-protecting-our-wasatch-canyons-watershed-from-overuse-and-unwarranted-property-development
- SL City Weekly's watershed objectives https://www.cityweekly.net/BuzzBlog/archives/2016/07/28/slc-buys-305-acres-for-open-space
- Ski Utah's watershed objectives https://www.skiutah.com/blog/authors/lexi/watershed-101-why-salt-lake-city-s
- University of Utah (U of U)'s watershed objectives (The U Water Center) https://water.utah.edu/
- Brigham Young University (BYU)'s watershed objectives Watershed Ecology https://catalog.byu.edu/life-sciences/plant-and-wildlife-sciences/watershed-ecology
- Utah State University (USU)'s watershed objectives
- https://extension.usu.edu/waterquality/learnaboutsurfacewater/watersheds/utahmajorwatersheds USU offers MS, and PhD's in Watershed Science https://www.usu.edu/degrees/index.cfm?id=69
- Weber State (WSU)'s watershed objectives (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences) https://www.weber.edu/ees
- Utah Valley University (UVU)'s watershed objectives https://uvu.edu/catalog/current/courses/environmental-management/
Toxic Utah Lake water in the Big Cottonwood creek is an oversight of city, county, and state employees.
The time has come to discontinue the practice of putting Utah Lake water into Big Cottonwood Creek which would also stop the thousands of pounds of dead Utah Lake fish (Carp, Cat Fish, Perch), and tons of salt, and dangerous Utah Lake water infected with blue-green algae cyanotoxins polluting this natural, pristine creek.
A dog named Drake, a black Labrador, died soon after from playing in and lapping Utah Lake cyanotoxic green slime algae water. In 2016, Big Cottonwood Creek tested positive for the same cyanotoxins with the probable source being SLC's untreated Utah Lake water routinely discharges into the creek.
Why does the $4 billion SLC Public Utility, a great utility, still dry up and use Big Cottonwood Creek as an open ditch?
When an eastside toddler ingests cynatoxic algae pooling in their back yard along an open ditch, who is criminally and civilly liable?
The need for SLC to dry up Big Cottonwood Creek killing native fish and the creek eco-system ended years ago. Today, no city should dry up a river or creek when reasonable alternatives are available. In the late summer, Salt Lake City Public Utilities takes all the water out of the creek causing it to go dry for over a mile while it has alternative surplus waters and resources.
Back in early 1900's SLC began the practice of drying up and using eastside creeks as free ditches filing then with Utah Lake water to help farmers irrigate 9,000 acres from Big Cottonwood Creek. 142 years later Utah Lake is no longer a healthy, safe water source due to salt, and lethal blue green algae. As cities grew farming ended on the east bench of Salt Lake County. Today, it appears as little as 50 acres are irrigated from Big Cottonwood Creek in stark contrast to the historic 9,000 acres. Thus, the need to put Utah Lake water into this pristine creek ended some time ago. The irrigation purpose of the 28 mile Jordan & Salt Lake City Canal running from Draper to South Temple was built in 1882 ended decades ago. This tired and useless canal still operates today costing Salt Lake City roughly $1 million to operate with a huge carbon foot print for electricity to pump water while polluting our creeks with toxic Utah Lake water. It's time to re-imagine, and re-purpose the canal, its $1 million operating budget, and restore our creek watersheds to their historic pristine condition.
Public Health issues - Anatoxin-a (Very Fast Death Factor) is so lethal, it was studied for a bio-weapon. It has killed dogs in 45 minutes. As marginally cyanotoxic algae infected Utah Lake water sometimes containing Anatoxin-a spreads through miles of lattice work of east side ditches in Salt Lake County, it slows, pools and stagnates to bloom rapidly in the high summer heat creating multiple bio-hazards in SLCO eastside backyards in close proximity to pets and people for no public beneficial purpose.
Call Salt Lake Mayor Erin Mendenhall's Team, a great team- 801-535-7704. Ask them to help stop Open Defecation on our canyons and to stop putting toxic Utah Lake water in Big Cottonwood Creek.
Utah Lake water is 4 times dirtier than the creek water. Putting Utah Lake water into a pure creeks, and de-watering the creeks kills our pristine creeks.
Another fish kill was reported in Big Cottonwood Creek in August 5, 2024 https://www.ksl.com/article/51090691/salt-lake-county-investigates-fish-kill-in-big-cottonwood-creek
Today 98% of the Utah Lake water conveyed in the 140 year old Jordan & Salt Lake City Canal running from Draper to Temple Square has no beneficial use and simply wastes. SLC Public Utilities chooses to spend $1 million annually to despoil our local pristine creeks with Utah Lake water to force the wasting of billions of gallons of water.
Herriman treats its Utah Lake water prior to use, Salt Lake City does not.
Why hasn't SLC Public Utilities implemented its 1999 SLC Watershed Management Plan recommendations to retire outdated 120 year old Utah Lake water exchange contracts? This would end this environmental injustice artificially manufactured by Salt Lake City Public Utilities. Director Laura Briefer 801-483-6900 laura.briefer@slcgov.com
Why hasn't Salt Lake County implemented its own "Watershed Planning and Restoration" plan to end this mess? Mayor Jenny Wilson 385-468-7000 mayor@slco.org
Why does Utah's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ Water) grant Clean Water Act waivers authorizing Salt Lake City Public Utilities to commit this environment injustice on our natural creeks?
There is no "important or economic or social development" attributable to putting Utah Lake water in Big Cottonwood Creek. Why doesn't DEQ follow DEQ's R317-2-3 Antidegradation Policy?
Director Erica Gaddis 801-536-4300 egaddis@utah.gov
Governor Cox's Chief of Staff Jon Pierpont, please save Big Cottonwood Creek, Little Cottonwood Creek, and Canyon Tourist Dollars. 801-828-0101 jonpierpont@utah.gov
Lt. Governor Dedre Henderson's Chief of Staff Jen Robison, please stop the poop on our Silicon Slopes. It's a bad look for billion dollar startups. 801-538-1494 jenrobison@utah.gov
Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Joel Ferry, please support saving Big Cottonwood Creek by encouraging the re-purposing the Jordan & Salt Lake City Canal running 98% of its water to waste and polluting our clean creeks. 801-538-7201 joelferry@utah.gov
Utah State Water Engineer Teresa Wilhelmsen, please support saving Big Cottonwood Creek by encouraging the re-purposing the Jordan & Salt Lake Canal wasting 98% of its public water and polluting the creeks. Utah Code 73-2-1(6)(b) authorizes the State Water Engineer to "(b) prevent theft, waste, loss, or pollution of those waters" 801-538-7240 teresawilhelmsen@utah.gov
Central Utah Water Conservation District General Manager Gene Shawcroft, save Big Cottonwood Creek and Little Cottonwood Creek by encouraging Salt Lake City to support the 2007 "Utah Lake Level Fluctuation Study" to "Increase the volume of rights that are held in the Lake." (page 19) 801-226-7100 gene@cuwcd.com
- Utah Lake Commission Director Eric Millis, would you encourage Salt Lake City to re-purpose its 139 year old Jordan & Salt Lake City Canal to increase water levels in Utah Lake to improve Utah Lake's water quality? 801-851-2900 eric@utahlakecommission.org
E.coli, Salt, & Cyanotoxins in Big Cottonwood Creek
E.coli
Who gives a crap about our crapped up creeks and canyons? Not Central Wasatch Commission.
For years SLC Public Utilities has tracked E.coli contamination in Big Cottonwood Creek from 'Big Turd Canyon' as high as 2,419.6 MPN/100ml (40 times the safe level of E.coli in a swimming lake). E.coli standards for treated drinking water is zero and lake water for swimming 60. No DNA testing has occurred to determine whether the source is human, dog, or wildlife. It's likely from hikers and bikers congregating at trail heads causing these high E.coli levels. The
E.coli in Big Cottonwood Creek appears to be from humans due to 16 toilets in a 50 square mile canyon with 2+ million visitors canyon (3 million visitors estimated by 2040) where 60 toilets are needed according to a U of U engineering student study.
A total of 16 public toilets in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, and Little Cottonwood 100 square miles for 4 million annual visitors in these 3 canyons are a 'fecal time bomb.' Just 1 in 10 visitors pooping on the mountain dumps 2 million pounds of poop in Big, Little and Millcreek canyons over 20 years.
Mountain Accord spent $8 million on the canyons. No new public toilets and not so much as a new roll of toilet paper purchased. Central Wasatch Commission spent $2 million. Same thing. No new toilets. Why?
For years, SLC has warned the public that it takes minutes for a drop of canyon water to enter its treatment plant. Yet, it appears SLC may deliver this E.coli contaminated water to irrigate eastside vegetable gardens. Plus, backcountry users are unaware that the clear creek water they may sip is contaminated with toxic E.coli.
Salt
There is one ton of salt in one acre-foot (325,851 gallons) of Utah Lake water at 735 TDS.* Salt Lake City puts Utah Lake water near 1,200 TDS (1.6 tons of salt per acre-foot) into Big Cottonwood Creek and valley watersheds.
At 5,000 acre-feet of Utah Lake water put into Big Cottonwood Creek, that's about 8,000 tons of salt a year put into Big Cottonwood Creek.
*Utah Lake Water Level Fluctuation Study" 2007 CUP
Blue-Green Algae Cynaotoxins - anatoxin-a, also known as Very Fast Death Factor (VFDF)
"Among cyanotoxins are some of the most powerful natural poisons known, including poisons which can cause rapid death by respiratory failure. The toxins include potent neurotoxins, hepatoxins, cytotoxins, and endotoxins."
"Exposure to the cyanobacteria neurotoxin BMAA may be an envirnmetnal cause of neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson's Disease and Alzheimer's Disease."
"There is also an interest in the military potential of biological neurotoxins such as cyanotoxins which "have gained increasing significance as potential candidates for weaponization." wikipeida
Anatoxin-a, saxitoxin, cyldrospermins (cyanobacteria) are bio-hazards in water sources put in our creeks for good reason. Not detected does not mean not present.
Watch your step for human poop in Big Turd Canyon.
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
3 million visitors to Big Cottonwood Canyon annually. If 1 in 10 uses the mountain as a toilet, over 20 years, that 2 million pounds of human poop on Big Cottonwood Canyon. With 3 million visitors by 2040, that's 100,000 pounds of human poop on the canyon watershed every year.
E.coli contamination in Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon is a clear and stinky danger.
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
When mother nature calls, hikers and bikers poop on the mountain.
Welcome to Utah's Wasatch Bathroom - Open Defecation
2 million pounds of human excrement by open defecation on Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon every 20 year
Utah invites nine million family members to its canyons without providing sufficient toilets, drinking water, and parking. Our natural resource reputation is wasted.
6 million pounds of human poop in the Tri-canyon area watershed is 6 million pounds too much.
Pooping off trail is a policy failure.
Out of sight - Out of mind is a policy failure.
Why is there human poop in our creeks?
E-Coli levels of 100 MPN are high risk according to DEQ. Big Cottonwood Creek has recorded E-Coli levels over 2,400 MPN. E-coli can kill you.
"Holding" is a Utah policy failure.
"Holding" is a Utah policy failure.
Going to the bathroom is a natural function of life.
Brown boots in the Wasatch.
Why do our Wasatch canyons lack toilets, drinking water, and fire hydrants?
Utah Wasatch Poop Hive
"Holding" is a Utah policy failure.
16 toilets for 9 million visitors in the Tri-canyon 75 square mile area (Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, and Millcreek Canyon) doesn't flush.
Nothing ruins a hike like seeing or stepping in human poop.
SLC spends $1.4 million to buy Donut Falls, installs no toilets, no drinking water, no parking and invites the world to Donut Falls. Then the Donut Falls tourists are subjected to predatory parking tickets for cash.
Utah's Forest Malpractices - 600+ trees per acre.
Old power lines in overgrown forests cause wildfires.
The CA and HI wildfires were caused from Forest Malpractice and old power lines.
FS says 40 to 60 trees per acre is a healthy forest. UT has 600+ trees per acre.
Why does Big Cottonwood Canyon lack fire hydrants meeting fire codes?
Why are fire hydrants dry or dibble in Big Cottonwood Canyon?
Canyon fire hydrants are a must for watershed and wildlife protection.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
Why are there dry fire hydrants in Big Cottonwood Canyon?
Why do home water connections run dry half year?
Why are families with water meters hauling water in Big Cottonwood Canyon?
Big Cottonwood Canyon is not safe.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
Today we invite 1.7 million visitors a year into Big Cottonwood Canyon and tomorrow 3 million visitors. They should be safe. Big Cottonwood Canyon lacking fire flows and hydrants is not safe.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
Forest Malpractice destroys watersheds, property, and life.
CA and HI wildfires killed 190 people, bankrupted PG&E, a $170 billion utility, and caused $200 billion in damages.
Forest Malpractice caused the CA, and HI wildfires, not climate change.
How much microplastics are in you?
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Utah's 32 billion vehicle miles generates 27 million pounds of toxic tire dust going into our water, air and food.
Paint dust in drinking water
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Paint dust is one of the microplastics founds in drinking water sources.
Synthetic clothes fibers in drinking water
Tire dust in Big Cottonwood Canyon is a real problem
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
Washing and drying synthetic clothes puts synthetic fibers into our watersheds and airsheds.
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
The U.K. has banned microbeads.
1/4 of California fish tested positive for plastic
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
1/4 of California fish tested positive for plastic
"One quarter of the fish sampled from fish markets in California and Indonesia contained plastic pieces and fibers in their guts." 5Gyres.org
Microbeads - A plastic disaster
Microbeads in tooth paste, finger nail polish, and soap
1/4 of California fish tested positive for plastic
There is no free lunch.