Signs reading “save the Provo river,” “no bailouts for the suckers” and “no sucker is worth 20 million” swarmed the chanting group of protesters gathered at the Utah Lake State Park Visitor center last week.
The Provo River Delta Restoration Project will plug the last mile and a half of river and divert the water to create a delta, saving the endangered June Sucker fish but forcing landowners off their property.
Protesters gathered Thursday at the public planning meeting to voice their opposition to the project.
Reed Harris, the recovery program director, said the purpose of the project is to improve the Provo River, save the June Sucker fish and provide public use.
“The project has added a considerable amount of water to enhance the river year round flows that used to dry up,” Harris said.
He said the fish are not surviving and the project will restore the river to its natural flow and provide an area for the fish to grow.
Thursday night’s meeting was organized to provide people the opportunity to discuss six options for the project. Some include filling in the old river channel, maintaining a small stream, creating riparian wetlands in the existing channel or canceling any plan for action.
Not all local residents agree with the delta restoration efforts.
Amber Allen, a protester collecting petition signatures at the meeting, said she wants the river to remain in its current state. She said at least 1,000 signatures have already been collected for their petition.
“I grew up by this river,” Amber Allen said. “It is where I get away from everything.”
Benjamin Allen, a local resident who operates a business on the river, is leading the resistance. He said the protesters do not want to shut down the project, but want to scale back the plans from 800 acres to 200 acres of delta.
'It doesn't make sense to spend $30 million,' Benjamin Allen said. 'There is a better way to save money.'
The restoration will require landowners in the proposed area to sell their property to make way for the delta, but no one knows exactly how much the delta will cost.
'That's his life,' Benjamin Allen said in regard to a landowner. 'To take it away doesn't make sense.'
Tensions were high as the two sides of the issue met. The number of people in attendance was so great the organizers announced the meeting full and turned away some attendees. They suggested another meeting time and place for those who wanted to participate, but did not get the opportunity.
'They want to push it through without letting people know,' he said.
The project is still in the planning phase and these public meetings will help determine the final outcome of the restoration.
'Everything is done in daylight,' Harris said. 'People always have the right to comment.'
For information on the delta restoration visit ProvoRiverDelta.us or email info@provoriverdelta.us. Information about the opposition to the project can be found by emailing office@clasropes.com.