Question 1

When was Deer Creek Dam built?

Accepted Answer

Deer Creek Dam was built by the Bureau of Reclamation between 1938 and 1941 as the key structure of the Provo River Project. It is a zoned earthfill dam 235 feet high with a 1,304-foot crest, the second largest earthfill dam Reclamation had built at the time. Civilian Conservation Corps crews from a camp established at the damsite in 1938 worked on its construction.

Question 2

Who uses the water stored in Deer Creek Reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Deer Creek stores Provo River Project water: supplemental irrigation for 48,156 acres of farmland plus municipal and industrial supply for Salt Lake City, Provo, Orem, Pleasant Grove, Lindon, American Fork, and Lehi under a 1936 repayment contract. Water leaves through the 42-mile Salt Lake Aqueduct at the dam and downstream diversions, yielding roughly 100,000 acre-feet a year.

Question 3

How full is Deer Creek Reservoir?

Accepted Answer

As of September 2, 2026, Deer Creek Reservoir is at 5,381.38 ft, 25.36 ft above the all-time record low. Full pool is 152,700 acre-feet at elevation 5,417 feet, and the active pool floor is elevation 5,303 feet. The reservoir fills on spring runoff and imported Weber and Duchesne water, then is drawn down through late summer as irrigation and city deliveries peak, so the number keeps sliding until deliveries taper in fall. Percent full on this page is measured against Reclamation's 152,700 acre-foot capacity.

Question 4

What is the Provo River Restoration Project?

Accepted Answer

Between 1999 and 2008 the Utah Reclamation Mitigation and Conservation Commission rebuilt the middle Provo River between Jordanelle Dam and Deer Creek Reservoir, moving the straightened, diked channel into excavated meanders, reconnecting side channels, and securing a continuous public corridor 800 to 2,200 feet wide. It was mitigation for earlier channelization, aqueduct impacts, and Jordanelle's construction.

Question 5

What is the lowest Deer Creek Reservoir has ever been?

Accepted Answer

The lowest point in the daily record is September 17, 1961, at elevation 5,356.02 feet and 37,153 acre-feet, about 24 percent of capacity and 61 feet below full pool. The figure is computed from Reclamation's full hydrodata series, which runs daily from 1950 for storage and October 1957 for elevation. At the end of August 2026 the reservoir stood about 26 feet above that record low.

Question 6

What fish can you catch at Deer Creek Reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Deer Creek is a Blue Ribbon Fishery best known for rainbow trout, and anglers also frequently catch largemouth and smallmouth bass, plus brown trout, yellow perch, and walleye. A 13-pound-8-ounce walleye taken here on April 11, 2024 set a Utah spearfishing record. The lower Provo River below the dam is a renowned tailwater brown trout fishery. Check the current Utah fishing guidebook for limits.

Question 7

Why is Deer Creek Reservoir good for sailing and windsurfing?

Accepted Answer

The reservoir sits at the throat of Provo Canyon, and canyon thermals run a daily cycle: a light morning wind blows down the canyon over glassy water, then a gustier southwest wind builds up the canyon in the afternoon. Local sailors describe the fall version as turning on like clockwork between noon and 3 p.m. That dependable pattern is why sailing and windsurfing are fixtures here.

Question 8

Are there quagga mussels in Deer Creek Reservoir?

Accepted Answer

No. Utah's DWR states that quagga and zebra mussels in Utah are currently limited to Lake Powell. The inspection and decontamination work at Deer Creek is prevention: all boaters must complete the annual mussel-aware course, motorized craft need the AIS decal, and boats from infested waters or out of state must be decontaminated or fully cleaned, drained, and dried before launching.

Question 9

Is it safe to swim in Deer Creek Reservoir?

Accepted Answer

Utah DEQ samples six Deer Creek sites through the summer for harmful algal blooms and E. coli, and as of the August 25, 2026 update it reported no current health advisories, with a Looks Good status. That means no advisory was in effect at the last sampling, not a guarantee. Blooms can appear between visits, so avoid scums, mats, or paint-like water, and keep dogs out of suspect water.

Deer Creek Reservoir Inflows

Common questions

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