Commencing Coming Attractions

We plan to complete construction of recreation features in the Delta area this year. Most significantly, we will soon begin construction of the Skipper Bay Trailhead. This will become the main access point for people visiting the Delta. The trailhead will include a restroom, bike rack and parking lot. A concrete non-motorized boat ramp will provide access to the water and a new paved Skipper Bay trail will connect to the existing Skipper Bay dike trail and Provo River Parkway trail. There will also be a horse trail along the south Delta berm and trails down to the water’s edge. A wildlife viewing platform will be built this fall along the Skipper Bay Trail, near Utah Lake.

Also this spring, Provo City is planning to start work on the nature-themed Delta Gateway Park. This project was funded as part of the overall Delta project, but will be completed and operated by Provo City Parks. This park will be integrated into the forest along the original Provo River channel and will feature a playground, trails, boardwalks, shade sails and a restroom. 

Work is occurring along the original Provo River channel with attention to the small dam at its downstream end, completion of the diversion structure upstream and the aeration system in between. Visit our River and Trails page for more information. We will also be constructing non-motorized boat ramps and fishing platforms on the original channel this fall. Brief closures along some sections of trail may be required during construction.

Back by Popular Demand

Our Second Saturday Site Tours are back starting April 13! These 90-minute guided tours begin at 9 AM and will be held the second Saturday of each month through October. Sign up to visit and learn about the restored Provo River delta, while it’s otherwise closed to public access. Community stewardship events are usually held after the tour for those interested. These “work parties” involve planting, pulling weeds, seeding or picking up trash, depending on season. To sign up and for more information, visit our Contact Us page or text Paula at 801-560-1790.

IMPORTANT REMINDER

The Provo River Delta area is not open to public access, including for non-motorized boating and fishing, until construction is completed in late 2024. Trespass is affecting our project and schedule. For your safety and the safety of our construction crews, we ask that you refrain from accessing the area and remember that it remains an active construction site closed to any type of recreation until it opens late this year. 

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Water Levels Raise Questions…and Answers!

How is the water level at Utah Lake managed? Although Utah Lake is a natural waterbody, it is managed as a water storage reservoir. When Utah Lake is “full”, water must be released from Utah Lake and into the Jordan River. The “full” elevation of Utah Lake is set by a 1985 court order resulting from a lawsuit between Utah Lake property owners and Jordan River property owners and water-users with flooding concerns. The negotiated settlement dictates a compromise between lake levels and a limit on river flows and defines the “full” or “compromise” elevation of Utah Lake as 4,489 feet above sea level. Once Utah Lake reaches that elevation, the outlet gates at the Jordan River must be opened to release water from the lake. The gates can be closed again when the elevation drops below 4,489 feet or when the Jordan River reaches flood stage.

How often does Utah Lake reach “full”? Monitoring of Utah Lake water levels began in the 1880s and the lake has reached its compromise elevation regularly since that time. Monitoring data show times when the lake was at or above full for several consecutive years, and dry periods where the lake didn’t reach compromise for over a decade. As recently as 2011, Utah Lake’s water level reached an elevation of 4,491 feet above sea level, which is over two feet above the compromise elevation. Large fluctuations in the level are not unusual as the level can change three feet or more over a year.  

How has the Provo River Delta Restoration Project affected water levels in the original Provo River channel? Prior to our project, the water level in the original channel fluctuated with the level of Utah Lake. During the planning and public involvement stages of the delta project, we evaluated several options for managing the original Provo River channel below the diversion. Based on stakeholder feedback, public comment, and input from Provo City and Utah County, we selected the option to construct a small dam at the mouth of the original channel capable of maintaining a water elevation consistent with the full level of Utah Lake. A preliminary version of the small dam has been constructed (a more substantial engineered structure will be completed next year) and per our project commitments, the original channel elevation is being maintained at current Utah Lake levels. For more info, visit our River & Trails page.

Where are Utah Lake levels currently (Spring 2024)? Utah Lake reached its full elevation in early February 2024 and the outlet gates were opened to release water to the Jordan River. With precipitation, snow melt, and tributary inputs, the lake’s level will likely stay near full through early summer. Historically, the delta and lands to the south were part of Utah Lake, thus these areas have consistently experienced standing water during high lake level periods. When Utah Lake is full, standing water is typical in places near the lake and its tributaries, including areas adjacent to the Provo River delta and along the original Provo River channel. That continues to be the case this spring, especially in areas that are below 4,489 feet in elevation.

Has the Provo River Delta Restoration Project changed water levels in the lake? The restored Provo River delta has not impacted Utah Lake water levels. The project rerouted the Provo River to a 260-acre delta which connects to Utah Lake. Provo River water that is not sent to the delta is delivered down its original channel, which also empties into Utah Lake. As a component of the project, Skipper Bay Dike was lowered on the west side of the delta and four outlet channels allow water to flow to Utah Lake. When the Utah Lake level exceeds 4,487 feet, the lake’s water surface elevation is higher than what remains of Skipper Bay dike and the delta and the lake are fully connected.  Below 4,487 feet, water flows from the delta through the four outlet channels and into the lake.