Articles

Discussion:   Talk about this article...

Kane Creek Preservation and Development Project at King's Bottom

June 05, 2023
by John S. Weisheit

KANE SPRING IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD MEETINGS

###

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: There is a public meeting on August 3, 2023 at the Grand Center that begins at 6pm. This hearing is about a permit application to construct an independent, on site sewage treatment plant at King's Bottom along Kane Creek Road and the Colorado River.

The developer is Kane Creek Preservation and Development, LLC (KCPD)

DWQ's Website for permit application for KCPD

The extented comment period closes August 4th, 2023

AGENDA: From Utah Department of Water Quality (DWQ); the agency contact person is Jeff Studenka

  • Open House for Discharge Permit Application for Utah Pollution Discharge Elimination System (UPDES) (sewage processing facility) for Kane Creek Development and Preservation, LLC.
  • Informational session begins at 6:00 pm
  • Hearing from to 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm on August 3, 2023
  • Grand Center, Main Hall
  • 182 N 500 W Moab, UT 84532
  • Public Presentation by DWQ of Jeff Studenka at Moab on August 3, 2023.
  • Recording of Public Hearing. Note: This recording was not edited and the proceedings do not begin until minute 53.

DOCUMENTS

TALKING POINTS ABOUT THE SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
  • Note: Kane Creek Road and King's Bottom are below the 100-year flood zone (156,440 cubic feet per second; see Year 2014 calibration table below). King's Bottom is an attachment bar, which are created by large eddies during large flood events. When the next large flood arrives, there will be slope failures at King's Bottom, and/or infrastructure will be crushed by all the driftwood and woody debris entrained within the flood flow and the recirculating eddy. When the flood recedes, the entire bottom will be replaced by an entirely new and different attachment bar, which may be larger, smaller, or become an island, or dissappear altogether.
  • Note: This is a preliminary discussion based on public information that is limited, or withheld. At some point a request for information will be provided via GRAMA Request.
1. In the floodplain (below the 100-year level) of the Colorado River, roads and residential homes will be constructed. It is not clear if the housing units are for residents, or for rentals, or both.

2. The last 100-year flood occurred in 1862; that event was an atmospheric river from the Pacific Ocean that lasted 43-days. A near 100-year flood occurred in 1884. Several large floods occurred in a pluvial between 1905 to 1921. Flood frequency and flood magnitude is expected to increase because our warming atmosphere can hold more water vapor.

2. It is obvious that the development will require flood insurance and the premiums will be high. This insurance will probably require federal flood insurance (FEMA).

3. It is obvious that a traffic plan to handle increased traffic will be necessary, for vehicles hauling heavy payloads, and for first responder vehicles.

4. It is obvious that the utility corridor will have to be improved, which includes the installation of fire hydrants.

5. There are amenities in the floodplain of the Colorado River. We assume this include eateries, hotels, rentals, and other commercial enterprises.

DISCUSSION ABOUT 100-YEAR FLOODS

  • Defining a 100-year flood is related to general acceptable policies for government agencies and insurance providers.
  • Nature is random, unpredictable, and extreme. For example, the 20th century was the wettest century in the last 2000-years, according to calibrated tree-ring data. Yet, the Colorado River in the 20th century did not have a 100-year flood event.
  • Paleoflood hydrology is providing data about the frequency and magnitude of prehistoric flood events.
  • This data was recently calibrated for the Colorado River Basin above the confluence with the Green River, and as follows:
  • A 100-year flood would have a peak discharge ranging from 156,440 to 179,050 cfs.
  • A 500-year flood would have a peak discharge ranging from 224,780 to 265,570 cfs.
  • A 1000-year flood would have a peak discharge ranging from 256,740 to 310,770 cfs.

DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPMENT BELOW THE 100-YEAR FLOOD ZONE
  • Phase 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5 is in Area 1
  • Area 1 is between the Colorado River and Kane Creek Road.
  • Phase 6 is in Area 4
  • Area 4 is between the Colorado River and Kane Creek Road.
  • Phase 7 is in Area 5
  • Area 5 is between Kane Creek Road and bedrock.
  • Phase 8 is in Area 2
  • Area 2 is between Colorado River and Kane Creek Road.
  • Phase 9 is in Area 6
  • Area 6 is beween Colorado River and Kane Creek Road.
  • Source: FEMA Maps and Anderson Engineering (see document section above).

####

NEWS


DOCUMENTS


COMMENT LETTERS

GRAPHICS

FLOOD SCIENCE AND FEMA FLOODPLAIN MAPS

Discussion:   Talk about this article...