YEAR 2000

Bear Lake Watch Action Plan

1. To create a climate for positive, forthright communications with farmers, irrigators and others entitled to beneficially use Bear River / Bear Lake waters, as a means for identifying common goals.

2. To encourage greater involvement in the political and decision making processes as they relate to the beneficial use of the Bear Lake ecosystem, and to work to expand the definition of "beneficial use".

3. To promote public understanding of regulations governing waters and wetlands within the Bear River / Bear Lake ecosystem, to strive for uniform application of the regulations and to improve communications regarding these matters.

4. To continue to represent Bear Lake Watch at future meetings of the Bear Lake Regional Commission, the Bear River Commission, the Bear River Task Force and the Bear Lake Preservation Advisory Board, enabling ongoing communication with all of the parties in interest.

5. To continue to fully represent multipurpose interests on the Bear River Commission with the assistance of legal counsel.

6. To foster a coalition of all organizations sharing the stated interests of Bear Lake Watch.

7. To monitor the quality of water entering Bear Lake and the quantity of water leaving.

8. To monitor state land agencies of Utah and Idaho to assure uniform meander line determinations.

9. To mediate common interests for effective management of the Bear River / Bear Lake ecosystem.

10. To encourage utilization of a single computer model to allow more accurate measurement of water useage on the lower Bear River.

Statement of Purpose

To act in the public interest to protect and restore the environment and waters of Bear Lake and to assure that the interests of the public at large are served in the allocation and utilization thereof;

To analyze the current status of and to identify existing and developing problems concerning the conservation and utilization of waters of Bear Lake and the Bear Lake environment in the public interest; and

To promote, through education and dissemination of information, public awareness of the need to implement, and to support study and research concerning effective conservation measures and projects, including environmental preservation, pollution control and lake level stabilization, as well as the need for equitable allocation in the use of Bear Lake resources to protect the interests of the public at large.