Sugar House Park Pond Drained Due to Extreme Drought Conditions

Due to extreme drought conditions, water flows have reached record lows, and Sugar House Park Pond has been temporarily drained.

How the Pond System Works

While the pond is a cherished feature of Sugar House Park, its primary function is an active stormwater retention basin along Parleys Creek. It is engineered to capture heavy runoff and storm surges to prevent flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. The pond water level depends on water flow from Parleys Creek, which originates in Parleys Canyon.

Upstream Water

Due to ongoing regional drought conditions, flows in Parleys Creek, as with other Wasatch Front creeks, are extremely low. Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities (SLCDPU) operates Parleys Water Treatment Plant, Mountain Dell Dam and Little Dell Dam in Parleys Canyon. SLCDPU is currently holding approximately 14% of the total flow to maintain elevations in Little Dell Reservoir while sending the remainder downcanyon. 

SLC Public Utilities has advised that the only water they are holding back in the canyon is Dell Creek as it enters Little Dell Reservoir. Approximately 3-3.5 cubic feet per second (cfs) is flowing in Parleys Creek at the mouth of the canyon. However, because the creek passes through a losing reach in and around Parleys Nature Park, the flow reaching the SHPA pond is likely well below 3 cfs.

What does 'draining' mean?

"Draining" does not mean pulling a plug on a bathtub. It means opening the downstream outlet control gate at the Sugar House Park pond along Parleys Creek. Under normal conditions, this gate is kept partially closed to impound water and create the full pond visitors are used to seeing. Opening the gate allows Parleys Creek to return to its natural stream flow directly through the pond toward the Jordan River.

Why water is still visible and Why It May Look Stagnant

Visitors may notice water sitting in the pond bed and wonder why it looks stagnant if the gate is partially open. The pond bed is engineered with a low collection point designed to trap sediment before water moves downstream. The outflow pipe sits higher than the lowest point of the pond bed. Whatever amount of natural creek flow, groundwater, or urban runoff enters the park continues to trickle through the pond toward the outflow gate. However, because the creek flow is so low during drought conditions, water moves very slowly through these lower contours of the pond bed before reaching the pipe, giving it a stagnant appearance.

Opening the Gate Management Choice

Salt Lake County Park Operations evaluated whether leaving the gate closed was an option. However, even if the gate is left closed, there is not enough incoming water flow during this drought to fill the pond enough to support healthy circulation.

Holding that minimal amount of water behind a closed gate would create significant risks:

• Stagnation & Health Hazards: Trapping a small amount of water in high summer heat causes rapid evaporation and warming, creating ideal conditions for algae blooms, mosquito breeding, and bacteria which can prove lethal to local waterfowl.

• Circulation Pumps Not an Option: Running circulation pumps in shallow, static water pulls heavy sediment into the intake pipes and causes mechanical failure. Therefore, pumps are not an option to maintain sufficiently healthy circulation. We removed the pumps to protect this critical infrastructure until water flows resume.

By keeping the gate open, we allow Parleys Creek to pass through naturally at whatever level it can, preventing a dangerous buildup of stagnant water and protecting public health and urban wildlife.

Agencies:

• Water supply, flow decisions, and drought management: Salt Lake City Public Utilities (manages upstream water and city water rights).

• Wildlife impacts and avian health: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) (the primary authority on urban wildlife).

• Grounds & park maintenance: Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation (handles day-to-day maintenance decisions under contract with the Sugar House Park Authority).