SODA SPRINGS — Rocky Mountain Power will hold a public meeting next month to discuss the big changes it's implementing regarding the future use of Alexander Reservoir west of Soda Springs.

The meeting, set for May 21, comes after the utility announced new regulations at Alexander Reservoir to address increased erosion caused by power boating, particularly skiing, wakeboarding and wake surfing.

“(Rocky Mountain Power) has observed and is increasingly concerned about shoreline erosion at Alexander Reservoir near Soda Springs,” said Mark Stenberg, principal project manager with the company’s Bear River Hydroelectric Projects in Idaho. “Concentrated wake boat use in the western portion of the reservoir has caused significant shoreline bank erosion, which in turn impacts shoreline habitat and water quality. Other portions of the reservoir have also suffered recent bank erosion. Local users of the reservoir also report that the eastern area has seen a dramatic increase in ski boat activity.”

The public meeting with Rocky Mountain Power representatives will be held May 21 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the reservoir's second bridge boat launch parking lot.

Rocky Mountain Power owns the reservoir and issued a news release last week regarding its changes there and the upcoming meeting.

The utility's news release stated: "The meeting will provide details on the boating restrictions the company is placing on the reservoir to prevent further erosion. These include designating the reservoir from the Second Bridge site to Soda Dam as a no-wake zone. On the remainder of the reservoir to the east, power boating is still permitted, but the creation of enhanced wakes is prohibited. In the eastern portion of the reservoir, the utility will be collecting additional information about watercraft use and bank erosion to inform future decisions. The meeting will also provide an opportunity to discuss typical requirements used in other reservoirs and lakes that support wake enhancement activities, such as distance from the shoreline and water depth. If you plan to attend the meeting, please wear sturdy shoes as time will be allotted to walk the shoreline and look at areas of erosion."

After a previous meeting between Rocky Mountain Power and the Caribou County Commissioners, local residents felt the community needed an opportunity to provide input on such dramatic changes to the popular water recreation area.

Whether Rocky Mountain Power will reverse any of its changes for the reservoir remains to be seen.

The reservoir is 1,100 acres in size with a storage capability of 16,300 acre-feet of water.

Alexander Reservoir provides a closer and less crowded water recreation location than Bear Lake for Caribou County residents. But many of those residents feel like Rocky Mountain Power's changes will so limit boating at Alexander that its recreational usage will dramatically decrease.

State Sen. Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, plans to attend the May 21 meeting and he’s urging local residents to be there as well.

Harris said the more community members in attendance the better to let Rocky Mountain Power know what everyone thinks about the changes.

Rocky Mountain Power uses the reservoir as a hydroelectric facility. The powerhouse at the reservoir houses two turbine generator units capability of producing 14 megawatts of power.

The reservoir was created in 1925 when a Rocky Mountain Power predecessor company developed it as part of the Soda Hydroelectric Project.

Rocky Mountain Power said that the recreational use of the reservoir must be balanced with power production and environmental concerns.

“We will continue to monitor the shoreline in the new no-wake-zone to see if the vegetation can recover and stabilize the banks,” Stenberg said. “Our hydroelectric project license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission includes requirements to manage the production of electric power, protect the environment and provide public recreational opportunities. And we must at times balance these competing responsibilities.”