Program Highlights for the August 7, 2010 Weekend Edition

Saturday’s Weekend Edition is now available for download. Check out the great lineup of guests and topics for August 7, 2010. You can hear it along the Wasatch Front from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. on AM 630 KTKK.



Segment 1
Patrick Wiggins, NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah, highlights a few big highlights in the August Skies
http://hubblesite.org/explore_astronomy/tonights_sky
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/100126474.html
Download Worldwide Telescope for Free
See the Moon Surface with Moon Arounder
Download Stellarium for Free
Download Google Earth Free
Download Celestia Free
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/observingblog/99304684.html
http://backcountryutah.blogspot.com/2010/08/august-skies-showcase-planets-and.html

Segment 2
Guy Perkins with Camp Chef is giving us a Sneak Peek and new Outdoor Cooking Gear
http://www.campchef.com

Segment 3
Mike Ottenbacher, with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, takes us Stream Fishing in the Southern Region
http://wildlife.utah.gov/hotspots/reports_sr.php
http://wildlife.utah.gov/cutthroat/BCT/literature/2000/2000-hepworth-et-al.pdf
http://wildlife.utah.gov/blueribbon/waters/sevier_east_fork.php

Segment 4
Gene Kaczmarek, with the Federation of Fly Fishers, is inviting you to the big Conclave in West Yellowstone, Montana
http://www.federationconclave.org
http://www.fedflyfishers.org
http://www.destinationyellowstone.com

Update on High Waters in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forests

SALT LAKE CITY, June 11, 2010 – Areas on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest still affected by high water include Little Cottonwood Canyon, American Fork Canyon, North Slope of the High Uintas, Mirror Lake Highway, Stansbury Mountain Range and the Weber River area near Kamas.

Forest visitors need adhere to road closure signage or blockades. Travelers should not attempt to cross roads where water is flowing across. Visitors should use extreme caution when recreating around fast moving streams or rivers. Also, parents should keep children and pets close-by and insure they understand the dangers of fast moving water.

There are a limited number of campgrounds, picnic areas trails and roads that are under emergency closures to protect public health and safety due to the high water and run-off.

These are:

Salt Lake Ranger District:
 Little Cottonwood Creek Trail – Closed
 Upper Narrows and Lower Narrows Loop Campgrounds, South Willow Canyon, Stansbury Mountains – Closed
 South Willow Canyon Road from Boy Scout Campground to Loop Campground - Closed

Pleasant Grove Ranger District:
 Sawmill Picnic Area, American Fork Canyon – Closed
 Mineral Basin Road closed just above Baker Fork in American Fork Canyon – Closed
 Portions of the trail around Tibble Fork Reservoir are still impassable due to water.

Heber-Kamas Ranger District:
 Ledgefork Campground, Weber River Area near Kamas – Closed
 Lower Provo River Campground, Mirror Lake Highway – Closed
 Soapstone Campground, Mirror Lake Highway – the lower loop is Closed

Evanston/Mt. View Ranger District:
 Bear River Campground, North Slope of Uintas – Closed
 West Fork of the Bear, North Slope of the Uintas -Closed
 East Fork of the Blacks Fork going to Hewinta - Closed
 East Fork of the Blacks Fork, south of Uinta Junction, North Slope of the Uintas – Closed to Sedans
 Bridger Lake Campground, North Slope of Uintas – Closed
 West Marsh Lake Campground, North Slope of Uintas - Closed
 Hoop Lake Campground, North Slope of Uintas - Closed
 Access road to Hoop Lake Campground, North Slope of the Uintas - Closed
 The Middle Beaver Creek Road to West Beaver Creek on the North Slope of the Uintas - Closed

Information on emergency closures will be updated as information becomes available. Forinformation on the North Slope road closures, contact the Evanston-Mt. View Ranger District at307-789-3194 or 307-782-6555.

Please note: The US Forest Service is responsible for managing National Forest System (NFS) roads. Closures on state or county roads crossing NFS lands are managed by their respective jurisdictions.

For information on specific campground closures, contact campground concessionaire American Land & Leisure at (801) 226-3564.

High Water Updates to Utah's Forest Areas

SALT LAKE CITY, June 8, 2010 – Areas and roads still inundated by water have been temporarily closed off to the public. Forest crews continue to manage water flows and mitigate impacts.

Areas affected by swift, high water include Big & Little Cottonwood Canyons, American Fork Canyon, North Slope of the High Uintas, Mirror Lake Highway, Stansbury Mountain Range and the Weber River area near Kamas.

Forest officials emphasize for their own safety that visitors adhere to road closure signage or blockades. Travelers should not attempt to cross roads where water is flowing across. Visitors should use extreme caution when recreating around fast moving streams or rivers. Also, parents should keep children and pets close-by and insure they understand the dangers of fast moving water. In the affected areas, a limited number of campgrounds, picnic areas and trailheads are under emergency closures to protect public health and safety due to the high water and run-off.

Currently, these are:

 Ledgemere Picnic area, Big Cottonwood Canyon – Closed

 Temple Quarry Trailhead, Little Cottonwood Canyon – Closed

 Upper Narrows and Lower Narrows Loop Campgrounds, South Willow Canyon, Stansbury Mountains – Closed

 Sawmill Picnic Area, American Fork Canyon – Closed

 Ledgefork Campground, Weber River Area near Kamas – Closed

 Lower Provo River Campground, Mirror Lake Highway – Closed

 Soapstone Campground, Mirror Lake Highway – partially Closed

 Stillwater Campground, North Slope of Uintas – partially Closed

 Bear River Campground, North Slope of Uintas – Closed

 East Fork of the Bear, North Slope of Uintas – Closed

 Portions of the trail around Tibble Fork Reservoir are impassable.

For information on specific campground closures, contact campground concessionaire American Land & Leisure at (801) 226-3564.

Forest roads under emergency closure include:

 Mineral Basin Road closed just above Baker Fork in American Fork Canyon

 East Fork of the Blacks Fork, south of Uinta Junction, North Slope of the Uintas

 Access road to Hoop Lake Campground, North Slope of the Uintas.

 The Middle Beaver Creek Road to Fallen Creek on the North Slope of the Uintas

Information on emergency closures will be updated as information becomes available. For information on the North Slope road closures, contact the Evanston-Mt. View Ranger District at 307-789-3194 or 307-782-6555. Please note: The US Forest Service is responsible for managing National Forest System (NFS) roads. Closures on state or county roads crossing NFS lands are managed by their respective jurisdictions.

High Water Impacts Forest Roads and Facilities-- Officials Urge Caution

SALT LAKE CITY, June 7, 2010 – Triggered by rapid snowmelt, swift and high water in streams and rivers are impacting localized roads and recreational areas on the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Areas and roads inundated by water have been temporarily closed off to the public. In camping facilities with flooding, campers have been relocated to higher ground. Forest crews are working to manage water flows and mitigate impacts.

Areas affected by swift, high water include Big & Little Cottonwood Canyons, American Fork Canyon, North Slope of the High Uintas, Mirror Lake Highway, Stansbury Mountains, and Weber River area near Kamas.

A Forestwide assessment of the impacts is underway. More information will be provided as it becomes available. In the interim, Forest officials emphasize for their own safety that visitors adhere to road closure signage or blockades. Travelers should not attempt to cross roads where water is flowing across. Visitors should use extreme caution when recreating around fast moving streams or rivers. Also, parents should keep children close-by and insure they understand the dangers of fast moving water.

In the affected areas, a limited number of campgrounds, picnic areas and trailheads are under emergency closures to protect public health and safety due to the high water and run-off. Currently, these are:

Ledgemere Picnic area, Big Cottonwood Canyon – Closed

Temple Quarry Trailhead, Little Cottonwood Canyon – Closed

Upper Narrows, Lower Narrows and Loop Campgrounds, South Willow Canyon, Stansbury Mountains – Closed

Little Mill Picnic Area and Campground, American Fork Canyon – Partially Closed

Mile Rock Picnic Area, American Fork – Closed

Ledgefork Campground, Weber River Area near Kamas – partially closed

Lower Provo River Campground, Mirror Lake Highway – Closed

For information on specific campground closures, contact campground concessionaire American Land & Leisure at (801) 226-3564.

Forest roads under emergency closure include:

East Fork of the Black Fork, south of Uinta Junction, North Slope of the Uintas

Access road to Hoop Lake Campground, North Slope of the Uintas

North Slope Road at West Beaver cross, North Slope of the Uintas

Information on emergency closures will be updated as information becomes available. For information on the North Slope road closures, contact the Evanston-Mt. View Ranger District at 307-789-3194 or 307-782-6555. Please note: The US Forest Service is responsible for managing National Forest System (NFS) roads. Closures on state or county roads crossing NFS lands are managed by their respective jurisdictions.

Answers about Fishing Change Available at New Web Page

If you’re an angler in Utah -- especially one who likes to fish rivers and streams -- you’ve probably heard about House Bill 141.

And what you’ve heard may have left you confused about what the bill does and doesn’t do.

The Utah Legislature passed the bill during this past legislative session. Gov. Gary Herbert signed the bill on March 31. To help clear up the confusion and get correct information to anglers, the Division of Wildlife Resources has placed some information on its Web site.

The information is available at www.wildlife.utah.gov/streamaccess  .

The new law goes into effect May 11.

Great Early Spring Stream Fishing Predicted

Photo by Phil Douglass, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

If you enjoy catching trout in rivers and streams in northern Utah, you won’t have to wait long to catch some this year.

Depending on how spring temperatures warm up, runoff this spring could be lower than normal. And that means some of the best fishing of the year on rivers and streams may kick off early.

“We will have some runoff this spring, but it won’t peak as high or last as long as it normally does,” says Roger Wilson, cold water sport fisheries coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. “If you like to fish rivers and streams, get your fishing poles ready. We should see some great early-season fishing.”

Not many challenges this spring
Wilson says river and stream anglers in northern Utah won’t face some of the challenges they usually face this time of the year.

“Because the water won’t be as high or as cold this spring, the trout should feed more actively,” Wilson says. He says the water won’t be as turbid either. “The clearer water will make it easier for trout to see your bait, lure or fly.”

And your offering won’t be competing with as much natural food for the attention of the fish. “The limited runoff won’t sweep a lot of natural food down with it because it’s not going to last as long this year,” he says. “Whatever you cast in or onto the water is going to stand out to the trout.”

The lower runoff will also affect when insect hatches occur. “It’s important that fly anglers watch the hatches closely, and then adjust their fly patterns and techniques to match the hatch,” Wilson says.

Wilson says you’ll also have safer and easier access to the water for a longer period of time this spring. “That’s another advantage to not having a lot of runoff,” he says.

Lots of rivers and streams
Wilson says northern Utah has more river and stream fishing opportunities than any other region in Utah. The Provo, Logan, Blacksmith Fork, Ogden, Weber (especially between Rockport and Echo reservoirs) and the Strawberry River below Solider Creek Reservoir are among the waters he encourages you to try this spring.

“There’s lots of public access on key reaches of all of these rivers,” he says. “And each of them should provide great fishing this spring.”

For more information, visit the DWR’s weekly fishing reports at www.wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/reports.php .

Stream Bill Updates from the Stonefly Society

We wanted to share this update provided by the local Chapter of Trout Unlimited, provided by the Stonefly Society President, Jason Haslam. For the latest information visit http://utahwaterguardians.org/

I just wanted to send an update to all our members regarding the stream access bills that most of us have been following the last month or so. As many of you know, HB80 was not passed by the House. This was the "good" bill that we supported. This is not good news unfortunately. And to add to the bad news, HB141, the "bad" bill has been voted through by the House and is now scheduled to be heard by committee on Thursday. We could see HB141 up for vote sometime next week.

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATOR today and tell them to not support HB-141. Our grassroots efforts will be the only way to kill this bill.

Key Provisions of H.B. 141

It is a clear violation of separation of powers, making it in direct contrast to the Utah Constitution Article V Section I and the ideals of our founding fathers.

It was done in secret, and the substitute bill came out after it passed committee and was sprung on the House for a quick debate.

Approves a political and controversial process of adding waters to a list that can be access by the public and saying what waters can't be accessed by the public.

Negates over 100 years of water law in Utah.

Flies in the face of 3 Utah Supreme Court decisions separated by over 70 years declaring and defining the public's easement in State waters.

Refuses to balance two competing constitutional rights, but unconstitutionally disregards one in the favor of the other.

Abolishes Supreme Court's ruling that a public easement exists to access streambeds for recreational purposes.

Except by permission or quiet title, a person accessing a streambed on private property is trespassing.

Quiet Title: In order to access a streambed on private property, a person must file a lawsuit against the landowner claiming that a prescriptive easement exists. The bill requires that the stream on private property must have been open to public recreational use for at least 10 consecutive years after September 22, 1972 and that the use must have been (a) continuous, (b) open and notorious, (c) adverse [contrary to the landowner's interest] and (d) without interruption. If quiet title is obtained, recreational users can access the streambed and private property 3 feet above the bank. The quiet title action standards outlined in H.B. 141 make it very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain a quiet title.

Contains several declarations of policy, all designed to protect the bill against judicial intervention.

THIS BILL IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL 

Please take 5 minutes of your time and look up your Senator's contact info. Send them an email or give them a call. Be professional and polite in your correspondence and let them know that their constituents opposes HB-141. Here are a few links to help you find your Senators as well as links to HB-141. 

http://le.utah.gov/  http://le.utah.gov/~2010/htmdoc/hbillhtm/HB0141S01.htm http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp http://le.utah.gov/Documents/09roster.pdf  

Tightlines,

Jason Haslam

Stonefly Society President