Construction update for Deer Creek Dam begins

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — The Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir are getting much-needed construction improvements so they can continue to deliver water to the community and mitigate flooding. The Provo River Water Users Association today kicked off the construction.

Due to the record-breaking snowpack in Utah’s mountains, there’s been a lot of focus this year on the flood mitigation capabilities of Utah’s dams, and water storage. The Deer Creek Dam is critical for both and so are these upgrades. With the turn of some dirt from a backhoe, Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson kicked off the Deer Creek Intake Project.

“This dam was built over 80 years ago, and now it’s got some parts that are wearing out that need to be rebuilt,” Henderson said.

The three-year project will upgrade the dam’s intake and guard gates, at a cost of $100 million. The Utah Board of Water Resources will cover $65 million, and the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and the Provo River Water Users Association will come up with the rest.

This project will ultimately provide improved water quality and reliability for downstream users. The guard gates, which manage water flow in the reservoir, have been showing their age and need to be overhauled.