Nearly 10,000 acre-feet routed to Great Salt Lake wetlands

Utah officials announced Oct. 6 a coordinated release intended to deliver nearly 10,000 acre-feet of water from Willard Bay to Great Salt Lake and surrounding wetlands, including Willard Spur. KSL reported the release was underway and that most of the water headed to the lake came from Pineview Reservoir. State video dated Sept. 30 showed water reaching Willard Spur.

The state said the water combines leased supplies from Ogden River Water Users Association and Huntsville Abbey Farm LLC with water committed by Ogden City. Weber Basin Water Conservancy District facilitated delivery to Willard Spur. A final measured delivery total has not been reported.

The release is linked to construction replacing a 6.4-mile Pineview waterline. The line supplies approximately half of the drinking-water supply for more than 120,000 residents in Ogden and neighboring communities. Ogden City lists the replacement project’s construction window as 2025–29 and its approximate cost as $100 million.

State wildlife officials say fall migration is an important period for water deliveries that support food and habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. The Great Salt Lake measured 4,189.7 feet at Saltair Boat Harbor on Oct. 1, about 1.2 feet above the 2022 record low.