GOP women unite page 11 June 18, 2021 | Vol. 2 Iss. 25
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GOOSE ON THE LOOSE
By Becky Ginos becky.g@davisjournal.com
FARMINGTON—It was a wetland rodeo of feathers and water as biologists and volunteers with the DWR zipped through Farmington Bay on airboats last week to round up Canadian geese for banding. “We do it every year in June,” said Rich Hansen, Waterfowl Banding Coordinator for the DWR. “The geese are very gregarious and gather in big groups. We pull up in the airboats, reach down and grab them. They don’t have their flight feathers so they can’t go anywhere.” Please see BANDING: pg. 8
DAKOTA THORNLEY, 7, and brother Hawk, 4, enjoy holding the juvenile Canadian geese.
Photo by Roger V. Tuttle
Utah’s drought hitting home in Davis County By Tom Haraldsen tom.h@davisjournal.com
U
tah Gov. Spencer Cox has issued three executive orders (thus far) regarding the state’s extreme drought, and now officials at both state and local levels are reaching out to get the public’s help in conserving water. The Utah Division of Water Resources has created a new lawn watering guide called “Extreme Drought Watering Guide,” available at www.conservewater. utah.gov. It focuses on minimal watering to keep grass alive, which is two times
a week in northern Utah (three times a week in southern Utah). The Division says 60 percent of residential water use is for outdoor landscaping, and eliminating just one watering a day can save 3,000 gallons of water for an average-sized yard in Utah. The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has cautioned farmers and ranchers to use extreme caution with prescribed burning. UDAF calls the days between June 1-Oct. 31 the “closed fire season,” when only burns considered necessary for agricultural purposes are permitted. “Farmers and ranchers are aware
that feed for livestock will be scarce, which is why it will be even more pertinent that we have as much rangeland as possible,” said Craig Butters, Commissioner of the Department. “Wildfires would be severely detrimental to Utah’s farmers and ranchers.” “Temperatures have increased over the last few days,” said Jamie Barnes, who is Director of Forestry, Fire and State Lands Division in the Department of Natural Resources. “We will start to see an increase in dry fuels and individuals should take caution in all outdoor activities to prevent starting a wildfire.” Every city in Davis County has tips
listed on their websites concerning water usage and drought prevention. In Kaysville, the Utah State University Extension office has published a “priority” list for home irrigation, including a recommendation that home and business owners wait until temperatures are in the 70s before irrigating, if possible. “Once it’s time to irrigate, consider these tips to help prioritize which plants to water first,” said Kelly Kopp, the Water Conservation and Turfgrass Specialist for the Extension. First, irrigate trees. They provide Please see DROUGHT: pg. 4