Fiscal Highlights - May 2016

Dredging the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake - Ivan D. Djambov ( PDF)

The low water levels at the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake motivated the 2015 Legislature to appropriate $3 million one-time from restricted accounts ($2.5 million from the Sovereign Lands Management Account and $500,000 from the State Park Fees Account) for the dredging of the marinas of the two lakes. The Division of Facilities and Construction Management (DFCM) is overseeing these projects. DFCM has contracted with an engineering firm, J-U-B Engineers, to do the design and secure the necessary permits. As of May 2016, the status of the two dredging projects is as follows:
The Great Salt Lake
The Army Corp of Engineers has just issued the necessary permit (after 10 months instead of the projected 18 months) and the construction contract is planned to be awarded by the end of May or early June, 2016. The total budget for this project is $1.5 million: $100,000 for J-U-B Engineers, $60,000 for DFCM's 4% fee, and the remaining for dredging.
The engineers have determined that the best method for this project is to use Suction Dredging. The plan is to dredge 75% to 90% of the marina three-feet deep, starting at the marina entrance and working east. The dredging spoils will be placed at the parking lot of the old Saltair building, about two miles to the east of the marina.
Utah Lake
The permitting process for this project is not yet completed. The Army Corp of Engineers has not issued the permit. At Utah Lake there are additional permitting requirements that have to be obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service concerning the endangered June Sucker. It is anticipated that all permits and approvals will be secured and the construction will begin this fall. The total budget for this project is also $1.5 million: $100,000 for J-U-B Engineers, $60,000 for DFCM's 4% fee, and the remaining for dredging.
The best method for this dredging project determined by the engineering firm is to use a coffer dam. The plan is to excavate three-feed deep most of the main channel and the main part of the marina. Local residents have expressed interest in obtaining the dredging materials from Utah Lake.
May 2016 Content ( PDF)

2016 Second Special Session Public Education Appropriations - Jill L.Curry
Following the 2016 General Session, Governor Herbert vetoed Item 6 in Senate Bill (S.B.) 2, Public ...
Behind the Trends in State Expenditures - Clare Tobin Lence
Each month, LFA staff update the Expenditures section of the Fiscal Health Dashboard to help legi...
Budget of the State of Utah - 2016 General Session - Ben Leishman
Each year, the Fiscal Analyst's office produces an appropriations report. This year's report is a...
Budget Policy Changes Enacted in 2016 G.S. - Steven M. Allred
During the 2016 General Session, the Legislature passed several bills that had an impact on budgeta...
Dredging the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake - Ivan D. Djambov
The low water levels at the Great Salt Lake and Utah Lake motivated the 2015 Legislature to appropr...
Higher Education Tuition Increases for 2016-17 - Spencer C. Pratt
During its regular meeting on April 1, 2016, the State Board of Regents approved a first-tier tui...
Legislature funds $57 million of new requests with TANF - Stephen C. Jardine
The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) administers the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy F...
Medicaid Used 25% of Available General Fund in FY 2015 - Russell T. Frandsen
Five State government entities (Departments of Health, Human Services, and Workforce Services as we...
New Buildings for FY 2017 - Angela J. Oh
During the 2016 General Session, the Legislature appropriated funding for 10 state-funded capital d...
Office of Administrative Rules - Brian Wikle
The 2016 Legislature passed and the Governor signed H.B. 103, "Department of Administrative Service...
Tourism and "The Mighty Five" - Andrea Wilko
Utah's travel and tourism industry is extremely diverse including natural, cultural, and historic...
Utah Communications Authority Process/Internal Controls Recommendations - Gary R. Syphus
On Tuesday May 17th, the Legislative Fiscal Analyst (LFA) briefed the Executive Appropr...
UtahFutures Adds a Couple New Features while Operating on One-Time Funding - Thomas E. Young
On May 12th, UtahFutures released two new features to their website, utahfutures.org. The new featu...

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