Grand opening event being held for new Provo River delta

Provo — After four years in the making, the newly restored Provo River delta is opening to the public later this month, and the partnering agencies involved in the massive undertaking are hosting a free event to celebrate the opening of the renovated area.

Construction on the Provo River Delta Restoration Project began in March 2020, after more than a decade of planning and coordination amongst multiple agencies. The nearly 260-acre project, located a half-mile north of Utah Lake State Park, restored a functioning delta between the Lower Provo River and Utah Lake to help in the recovery of the threatened June sucker, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

"A major impediment to June sucker recovery was the lack of nursery habitat for young June suckers," Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Recovery Program Director Sarah Seegert said. "Adult June suckers spawn in tributaries like the Provo River, and the larvae drift downstream into warmer, slower-moving areas with enough aquatic plants to provide a place to hide from predators. Until recently, these types of habitats were extremely limited in Utah Lake. The wetland vegetation in the new Provo River delta will provide young June suckers a place to hide from predators until they grow large enough to move into the lake where they can continue to adulthood."

In addition to helping with June sucker recovery, the project also offers an improved ecosystem and more recreational opportunities. Trails, trailhead parking areas, restrooms, nonmotorized boat launches, fishing platforms, interpretive features, a wildlife-viewing tower and a park (currently under construction) are the new amenities of the revitalized Provo River delta.

"The Provo River Delta Restoration Project has provided the unique opportunity for us to partner with several entities on a project to not only benefit recovery of a threatened species, but also provide a recreational resource for the community," Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission Executive Director Mike Mills said. "By working with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Utah County and Provo City, we have included new trails, a wildlife-viewing tower, a community fishery and a new city park as part of this project. The project will support diverse recreational opportunities for the surrounding communities well into the future."

The free public event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new Provo River delta area's Skipper Bay Trailhead, north of 3400 W. Boat Harbor Drive in Provo. The event will include educational booths, activities, music and a walk-through of the new delta area. The trailhead will be closed to vehicle traffic, so attendees are encouraged to walk or ride a bike to the event. Free vehicle parking will be available at the Utah Lake State Park overflow parking area.

Several organizations are involved in the unique Provo River Delta Restoration Project and recovery of the June sucker, including:

• Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission
• Central Utah Water Conservancy District
• U.S. Department of Interior CUPCA Office
• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
• Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
• June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program

For more information, visit the project website or watch the video on the DWR YouTube Channel.