Courtesy of the Utah Lake Authority Board
Members of the Utah Lake Authority Board pose for a photo on Friday, July 22, 2022.
The Utah Lake Authority Board convened for its first official meeting Friday at the Utah Lake State Park Visitor’s Center.
Julie Fullmer, the mayor of Vineyard, was named chair of the Utah Lake Authority Board, and Michelle Kaufusi, mayor of Provo, was named vice chair.
One of the first issues the board intends to tackle is improving the water quality at Utah Lake’s marinas scattered across Utah County.
“We would like to set our goals in the very realm of doable, so initially we’re going to be working hard to make sure our marinas are looking their best,” said Eric Ellis, executive director of the Utah Lake Commission. “That water quality in our marinas are at their peak. That’s kind of the road we’re on right now, trying to get algae treatments in our marinas.”
The Utah County Health Department issued a Warning Advisory Friday for Lincoln Marina, Utah Lake State Park, Sandy Beach and Provo Bay after sampling detected high concentrations of toxin-producing algae and high levels of toxins throughout Utah Lake.
Isaac Hale, Daily Herald file photo
Algae floats in the water at Utah Lake State Park in Provo on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020.
Toxic algal blooms are a recurring issue at Utah Lake, and one that the board intends to work on. However, according to Ellis, algae treatments can be costly for a lake of this size.
“Funding on a lake this size to do any kind of algae treatments is incredibly cost prohibitive, but if we can dedicate some of our funding towards algae treatments in our marinas where people are most likely to be swimming… that will be kind of where we start,” he said.
The board is also currently working with Forestry Fire & State Lands to create a digital Utah Lake Authority boundary map, and looking for a consultant to create a management plan for Utah Lake.
The Utah Lake Authority was created earlier this year by the passage of HB 232, which was sponsored by Rep. Brady Brammer, R-Highland, and Sen. Michael McKell, R-Spanish Fork.
The listed purpose of the lake authority is to work with applicable federal, state and local government entities, property owners, owners of water rights, private parties and stakeholders to encourage, facilitate and implement the management of Utah Lake.
Ashtyn Asay, Daily Herald
Utah Lake is pictured from Utah Lake State Park on Monday, April 25, 2022.
Members of the Utah Lake Authority Board were appointed according to Utah Code 11-65-302. The code specifies which elected officials must sit on the board.
Sitting on the board along with Brammer, McKell, Fullmer and Kaufusi are Utah Valley Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Curtis Blair, Lehi Mayor Mark Johnson, Lindon Mayor Carolyn Lundberg, Utah County Commission member Bill Lee, Saratoga Springs City Council member Chris Carn, Spanish Fork City Council member Shane Marshall, Orem City Council member Terry Peterson, GO UTAH Executive Director Dan Hemmert, UVU professor Hilary Hungerford, Division of Water Quality acting director John Mackey and Utah Department of Natural Resources executive director Joel Ferry.
Members of the Utah Lake Authority Board pose for a photo on Friday, July 22, 2022.
Algae floats in the water at Utah Lake State Park in Provo on Friday, Aug. 28, 2020.
Utah Lake is pictured from Utah Lake State Park on Monday, April 25, 2022.
Newsletter
Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter.
Comments are closed.