Old Provo Channel Project Construction Update
The Provo River Delta construction crew has begun the last phase of construction on the small dam at the downstream end of the Old Provo Channel, near Utah Lake State Park. Area activities will gradually increase over the next few weeks as crews prepare the site for installation of precast dam materials. Delivery of these materials has been delayed but is expected Mid-September.
Final work at the downstream dam will include constructing a portage path to allow kayakers, paddleboarders, and others to move around the dam and facilitate boating access to Utah Lake. After this work is complete, crews will replace the fence and landscaping around the site and will return nearby pavilions and picnic tables to their original locations. Crews will then move on to installing two non-motorized boat launches (see Old Provo Channel map). Fishing platforms are also planned for construction between the two boat launches. The bid package for these is undergoing a prolonged governmental review process, so fishing platform construction is currently expected to occur in the November/December timeframe. Please note, our construction schedule this summer has experienced setbacks and is unfortunately subject to further delays, please check back for updates.
Help the Provo River Delta Grow
This summer, community members have been making a real difference at the Provo River Delta, and you’re invited to join in!
Thanks to volunteers who have already contributed more than 250 hours this summer, the landscape at the delta is transforming. By clearing out invasive plants like Russian olive, tamarisk, and thistle, volunteers are giving the native ecosystem a chance to thrive. Their hard work is paving the way for tens of thousands of new plants — from grasses and wildflowers to young willow cuttings and shrubs — to take root.
In helping to restore the habitat, you can watch the incredible changes firsthand as thousands of naturally recruited Fremont cottonwood trees also begin to grow, turning the delta into a vibrant home for wildlife.
Join the effort this fall!
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will continue to host stewardship events regularly through the autumn season. These events are a perfect opportunity to:
Get outside and actively improve a beautiful local habitat.
Meet new people who share your passion for nature and community service.
Learn from experts about wetland ecosystems and the wildlife at Utah Lake.
Enjoy wildlife viewing while you work.
Whether you can only attend once or want to join us regularly, your efforts give these beneficial native plants a better chance to flourish.
Ready to get involved? To find an upcoming event and to sign up, visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources volunteer webpage: https://wildlife.utah.gov/volunteer.html
Kids in Kayaks Learn at the Delta
Produced by BYU Video
This summer the Provo River Delta project granted a permit to BYU’s Bean Life Science Museum for recent BYU Graduate Josh Hammari’s Kayak Camp. Learn more about the fun and enriching opportunity the Delta made possible for kids ages 8-12 at BYU News: From Campus to Kayaks: BYU students teach local school children about Utah wetlands https://news.byu.edu/intellect/from-campus-to-kayaks-byu-students-teach-local-school-children-about-utah-wetlands
Activities at the Delta…do you need a permit?
To ensure the delta meets it purposes for supporting June sucker and allowing compatible recreational use, a permit is necessary for any commercial activity, activity charging a participation fee, or activity with groups larger than 12 participants. To inquire about a permit, please complete the form on our Contact Us page as you begin planning your event or if you have any other inquiries. (As a reminder, no motorized watercraft are ever permitted in the delta.)
How Did We Get Here?
Review past years of project construction and see how far we’ve come!