Dry Creek Reservoir will be 22 acres in size and it is anticipated to receive very heavy use given its location and proximity to population centers and current heavy use by recreationists bike, walking etc. It is estimated that approximate 1,000,000 people pass by this area annually. Lehi City, in addition to creating an irrigation reservoir, also want to provide family friendly recreation opportunities including angling for their residents. Thus they have determined that given the location and surrounding facilities (fish cleaning station, picnic sites, beach, park, biking and hiking trails, new homes) this would be a perfect fit to meet their recreational demands. UDWR community fishing programs are designed to help develop new anglers and encourage them to visit other streams and water bodies of Utah and we hope the location and opportunities at Dry Creek Reservoir will help meet this goal. Our 2025 creel data showed an average of over 3,900 hours per surface acre within the CRO. A similar large pond (Salem Pond) had about 3,000 hours per surface acre, a reasonable estimate could be in the 66,000-86,000 hr range, that's more angling hours than we see at Jordanelle Reservoir! The 2024 economic study places $188/day value on a trip or $23.50/hr. On the low end this community fishery could generate $1.5 million a year! UDWR will be managing the reservoir with several fish species including trout, bass, Bluegill, Tiger muskie and wiper... Enhancing the reservoir habitat with sufficient water will help promote better fish survival and recruitment and ultimately reduce the cost of maintain sufficient numbers of fish in the reservoir to meet anticipated angler use and demand. The real missing piece of the puzzle here is sufficient amount of water to allow fish to survive throughout the year and outside the spring and early summer when the reservoir is full. In cooperation with Lehi City, Trout Unlimited and possibly other financial sponsoring partners we need to purchase enough water to allow the fish to persist year-round.

Provide enough storage water that the fish in the reservoir will persist and survive year-round providing a great fishery to many local and surrounding residents and anglers. Agreements will be made to maintain a minimum elevation like a conservation pool.

Construction of this new reservoir has taken some time to complete with many complications. Happy to see it finally nearing completion. Lehi City is asking UDWR to stock fish but are reluctant to do so until we feel there is enough water left during irrigation season as storage to provide year-round water that the fish can survive and grow in. It is anticipated that this reservoir will receive heavy recreational use by many types.

Securing water storage will help with the goals and objectives of the Community Fishery Plan/Program in introducing youth and adults to fishing close to home in an environment that will have potentially heavy use and high catch rates. Once skills are learned and developed through the program, participants and public in general will be encouraged to try fishing in other more traditional waters throughout the state. Meets the statewide goals and objectives of providing angling opportunities to UDWR constituents.

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Additional water will both improve water quality and increase amount of water available to fish and in turn anglers. The storage of water in the reservoir is also allowing for sediments to fall out in a specifically created sediment basin at the top of the reservoir. This sediment trapped in this catch basin will be cleaned out approximately every 5 years.

Trying to work with Lehi city and irrigation companies to allow enough storage during the year for recreational purposes and fish survival.

Working with Lehi City and UDWR water rights specialists to find, purchase and secure storage agreements so the water can be used at the right times of the year to improve and make possible the survival of fish stocked by UDWR.

UDWR biologists will monitor the fishery and make adjustments as necessary to find the best fish species that can persist and provide desirable angling opportunities to the many visitors of the reservoir and park.

NUCWCD, Lehi City, various angling organizations (Trout Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Anglers, Utah Bass Federation, Bonneville International) possibly additional funding partners such as Coke-a-cola, Facebook and others.

This new community fishery will be managed a little differently than many of the community fisheries in the area given its large size and potential depth. We anticipate this fishery to attract cold and warm water enthusiast with trout, bass, wipers and perhaps tiger muskies.

The current status of the reservoir will not provide suitable habitat for the fish to persist and survive through the year. With the addition of more water storage fis will be able to survive and provide angling opportunities to many. Agreements are being made with Lehi city and other to assure sufficient water will be stored year-round to allow the fish to survive and provide a great fishery.