Deer Creek State Park
Encyclopedia
Deer Creek State Park a state park
of Utah
, USA, featuring large Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir
. The park is located near Midway, Utah
, in the southeast corner of Heber Valley.
in 1971, 3260 acres (13.2 km²) Deer Creek State Park features the large Deer Creek Reservoir, which is popular for fishing
and sun tanning
, along with other surface water sports
such as boating
, sailing
, swimming, and windsurfing
.
Park facilities include two concrete ramps for boat-launching, a summer-only 75-unit campground (58 sites for RVs
and the remainder for tent
s) , rest rooms, showers, and sewage-disposal, two group-use areas, picnic
areas, and fish cleaning stations.
There is also a restaurant
and gas station, and boat rentals are available.
The park is at an elevation
of 5400 feet (1,645.9 m).
. Creation of a reservoir was approved by the United States Congress
in 1935 to help alleviate this problem, and Deer Creek Reservoir became a significant part of the Provo River Project.
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) began construction of the reservoir in the spring of 1938. Water was available for use in 1941, and the project was completed in 1955. The Provo River Water Users Association, under contract with the BOR, repaid construction costs, and operated and maintained the facilities until the area became a state park in 1971. During this time, fishing was the chief recreational activity, as other water sports were prohibited.
The Division of Parks and Recreation became responsible for the administration, development, and operation of the park in January, 1971, and maintains it today.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, USA, featuring large Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir
Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir
The Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir hydroelectric facilities are located on the Provo River in western Wasatch County, about northeast of Provo, Utah. The dam is a zoned earthfill structure high with a crest length of . The dam contains 2,810,000 cubic yards of material and forms a reservoir of ...
. The park is located near Midway, Utah
Midway, Utah
Midway is a city in Wasatch County, Utah, United States. It is located in the Heber Valley, approximately three miles west of Heber City and 28 miles southeast of Salt Lake City, on the opposite side of the Wasatch Mountains...
, in the southeast corner of Heber Valley.
The park
Established as a state parkState park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
in 1971, 3260 acres (13.2 km²) Deer Creek State Park features the large Deer Creek Reservoir, which is popular for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and sun tanning
Sun tanning
Sun tanning or simply tanning is the process whereby skin color is darkened or tanned. The process is most often a result of exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or from artificial sources, such as a tanning bed, but can also be a result of windburn or reflected light...
, along with other surface water sports
Surface water sports
The following is a list of surface water sports; these are sports which are performed atop a body of water.-Discing:Discing consists of standing on a circular wooden disc and being towed behind the boat. The disc supports the rider by means of spreading the weight out evenly across the water...
such as boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
, swimming, and windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
.
Park facilities include two concrete ramps for boat-launching, a summer-only 75-unit campground (58 sites for RVs
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
and the remainder for tent
Tent
A tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or attached to a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs...
s) , rest rooms, showers, and sewage-disposal, two group-use areas, picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
areas, and fish cleaning stations.
There is also a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
and gas station, and boat rentals are available.
The park is at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 5400 feet (1,645.9 m).
History
In the 1930s the Salt Lake City area and surrounding farmland were suffering from water shortagesDrought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
. Creation of a reservoir was approved by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 1935 to help alleviate this problem, and Deer Creek Reservoir became a significant part of the Provo River Project.
The Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) began construction of the reservoir in the spring of 1938. Water was available for use in 1941, and the project was completed in 1955. The Provo River Water Users Association, under contract with the BOR, repaid construction costs, and operated and maintained the facilities until the area became a state park in 1971. During this time, fishing was the chief recreational activity, as other water sports were prohibited.
The Division of Parks and Recreation became responsible for the administration, development, and operation of the park in January, 1971, and maintains it today.