A River Once More
Photography: Adam Barker
There is something about a river. Something about the interplay of sunlight and water, reflection and refraction, and constant motion captivates the human psyche. Owing to our dependence on water, perhaps we humans are simply hardwired to be attracted to rivers.
Here in the arid West, we have a long and not-so-storied history of messing with our local waters. It’s hard to find a stream that hasn’t, in some way, been altered to meet our demands. Park City’s closest river—the Provo—is no exception. During the past century, the Provo has been diked, dredged, dammed, straightened and all but strangled ... all in the name of irrigation and water management.
But a new day has dawned for the Provo River. A 10-year, $55 million restoration project (completed in 2008) has breathed new life into the section known as the Middle Provo or, to fly-fishing aficionados, simply “The Mid.” Bookended by two dams, the Jordanelle on the upriver side and Deer Creek on the downriver side, the Middle Provo now flows through the Heber Valley on a course that is less like that of a canal and more like the meanderings of the free-flowing river it should be.
The funding for the restoration project came from the federal government, as part of a package to make up for fish, wildlife and related recreational losses caused by water reclamation projects across Utah (all part of the Central Utah Project). The stated purpose was to restore the Middle Provo River’s pattern and ecological function to a more natural condition. The net result is that Summit and Wasatch County residents now have a spectacular, natural-flowing waterway in their backyards. What 10 years ago was a mostly straight, 10-mile channel now flows as 12 miles of meandering river with all of the riffles, pools, bends and banks that enliven fly-fishing lore. As added enhancements for ecological and recreational ends, nearly 500,000 native trees and plants were situated along the realigned banks, and natural footpaths follow the river course.
The entire Provo River, though neither long nor large by some standards, is well known to anglers across the country as a blue-ribbon trout stream. In addition to creating better access and allowing more room for enthusiasts to spread out along the river, the restoration has greatly improved fish habitat and increased the quantity and diversity of the aquatic life on which these fish feed. According to state biologists, the project has increased the number of brown trout in the Middle Provo by more than five times.
With its shaded paths and restored wetlands, the Middle Provo has also become a premier bird-watching destination. And perhaps most importantly, it provides plenty of quiet places to simply sit and watch the river roll by.
Bank Shots
An important component of the Provo River Restoration Project is improved access for fishing and wildlife viewing. Seven access points, each with restroom facilities, fenced parking, educational kiosks and maps, have been built along the 12-mile stretch of river. Two of the access sites include disabled accessible fishing platforms.
Situated to provide the best public river access while minimizing impacts to wildlife habitat and adjacent private property, the seven access sites are the only entry points to the river. Footpaths reach out from each site to provide access to the entire river corridor. Maps and information are available at mitigationcommission.gov/prrp/prrp.html.
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