Reconstructed Provo River Delta opens for public recreation and wildlife admiration
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- An educational sign along the newly constructed trail near the Provo River Delta is shown Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A couple canoes in the reconstructed Provo River Delta on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A new trail bench along the reconstructed Provo River Delta is shown Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A new wildlife observation tower overlooking the lower Provo River where the delta has been reconstructed can be seen Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A couple walks on a portion of the added trails along the newly constructed Provo River Delta on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- Ducks gather in a stretch along the newly constructed Provo River Delta on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- An educational sign along the newly constructed trail near the Provo River Delta is shown Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A bike rack in the shape of a fish is shown at new Skipper Bay Trailhead near the Provo River Delta on Saturay, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- A section of the lower Provo River is pictured east of Utah Lake in the reconstructed delta Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
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- An educational sign along the newly constructed trail near the Provo River Delta is shown during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.
After nearly half of a decade of restoration efforts, the newly reconstructed Provo River Delta is back open, providing a space for public recreation and young fish to thrive.
The Provo River Delta restoration project rehabilitated the interface of the lower Provo River and Utah Lake.
The joint effort between multiple local, state and federal agencies began the planning and coordinating work over a decade ago, but the project kicked into gear when crews broke ground on the nearly 260-acre Provo River Delta project in the spring of 2020.
A main focus of the project was to provide essential habitat for the survival of the June sucker, a fish only found in Utah Lake and its tributaries.
However, due to an unhealthy habitat, it was unable to spawn and for decades was considered an endangered species.
The fish was downlisted from “endangered” to “threatened” in 2021.
In March 2023, the project reached a significant milestone when the Provo River started diverting into a newly restored delta, sending water toward Utah Lake.
The work has proved successful thus far, as biologists and officials at the helm of the project say the native fish have been spotted spawning in the revived delta.
“We’re finding young June sucker out here in the delta, but (we) also want people to know that even though it was done for June sucker, we want them to enjoy it,” Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Executive Director Michael Mills told the Daily Herald. “I mean, we’ve been able to provide some good things down here that we think the community will enjoy.”
To help fund the delta restoration project, $10 million was allocated from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden.
On Friday, leaders and officials from local, state and federal agencies who partnered on the project gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the occasion.
During the event, a few hatchery-raised June suckers were released into the new delta, according to a press release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
On Saturday, an official grand opening allowed the public to experience the new amenities at the new Provo River Delta’s Skipper Bay Trailhead.
Aside from June sucker recovery, the restoration offers an overall improved ecosystem that highlights conservation, fishing platforms, interpretive features and a wildlife observation tower, the release said.
“We’ve dug wetland ponds and then lowered Skipper Bay dikes so the lake influence can come in and out, connecting it back to the Provo River,” Mills said.
The project also created 1.2 miles of additional trail, trailhead parking, restrooms and non-motorized boat launches, among other amenities.
“Now there’s a 3.8-mile loop that you can come down the Provo River, jump on this delta trail, go around, connected by Utah Lake State Park,” Mills explained.
Berms were constructed along the south edge of the delta and the new Provo River channel east of Lakeview Parkway, and over 150,000 native plants were planted in the project area. Visitors walking along the newly reconstructed trail also can elevate their sightseeing with the new wildlife observation tower.
“It’s really a nice perspective and (you can) kind of see the whole project,” Mills said.
As the state and wildlife officials continue to monitor June suckers in efforts to establish a self-sustaining population of fish, early signs reportedly are promising.
“We are hopeful that with this area opening to fishing that anglers can help reduce the number of predators that are impacting June suckers,” Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Recovery Program Director Sarah Seegert said in the press release. “In addition to the wetland vegetation in the delta providing young June suckers a place to hide from predators, we are also excited about the new fishing opportunities that this area will provide.”
DWR says it eventually will take over portions of the delta, which will be managed as a waterfowl management area. The trail, Skipper Bay Trailhead and the observation tower will be owned and managed by Utah County, and Delta Gateway Park will be managed by Provo City, the release noted.
Mills said the new delta and its amenities ensure community members have easy access to fish, birds and other animals at a location that will be open and maintained for year-round use.
Portions of the project area east of Lakeview Parkway, though, are still ongoing.
“Over on the old Provo River channel, we have a lot of work to do. … There’s a park that’s being built over there, some more boat ramps and fishing platforms,” said Mills, who anticipates another year before those efforts are completed.
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