Dredging of Sugar House Park Pond Planned in Early 2026
- Sugar House Park Board Authority
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
The 2026 Sugar House Park dredging will excavate approximately 13,700 cubic yards of sediment from the park's pond between January and March 2026. Salt Lake County Flood Control funds this project and will be managed by Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. Park visitors can expect to see heavy machinery and potentially unpleasant smells.
WHAT IS DREDGING?
Dredging involves the removal of sediments and debris from the bottom of a body of water. It helps prevent the spread of water contaminants, such as avian botulism, a toxin that’s harmful to both people and animals when ingested. Dredging also improves the overall appearance, smell, water quality, and well-being of the pond. The sediment is carried in by Parley's Creek and is deposited in the low plain of Sugar House Pond.
ORIGIN OF PARLEY'S CREEK
Parley's Creek is the largest mountain drainage near Salt Lake City. Much of the water from Parleys Creek is diverted and stored in Little Dell and Mountain Dell Reservoirs, which were constructed to hold water supply and for flood control and are managed by the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities. Parley's Creek is used primarily as a drinking water source for Salt Lake City. Water passing through the lower watershed area follows the course along Parleys Historic Nature Park and eventually Sugar House Park.
POND DREDGING IN 2018
The last dredging of Sugar House Pond occurred in 2018. At that time, officials took steps to dredge the pond to prevent further outbreaks of avian botulism, a bacterial disease that infects the nerves and muscles of ducks, geese, and other waterfowl, slowly killing them. A voter-approved, $500,000 budget was approved in 2016, with an estimated 18,000 cubic feet of sludge sediment removed and cleared 7 feet of debris from the pond bed. Before 2018, the previous dredging was over 20 years earlier.
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