Dry Creek Lake project wins grant

Lehi’s Dry Creek Lake project was awarded $150,000 from the 2020 Utah Outdoor Recreation Grant (UORG) program. The UORG has awarded close to $6 million in grant funding over the last six years, and this year marks the highest amount of annual grant funding.

“This money will go to enhance the amenities beyond what will be possible with the current project budget. It will be used for a variety of needs, including additional trails, picnic tables and pavilions, a fixed ADA fishing pier, fishing docks, swim platforms, and more,” said Chris Bowerbank, founder of the Dry Creek Lake Advisory Committee. Lehi City and Highland City share Dry Creek Lake, a 55-acre plot located on the border of Lehi and Highland near Smith’s Marketplace on the east side of town. 

The advisory committee will know the final amenity budget after the infrastructure Request for Proposal (RFP) is awarded in the next few months. “We plan to pursue funding avenues including other government grants as well as corporate public/private partnerships,” Bowerbank continued.

The UORG is a competitive grant program with dozens of projects statewide vying for funding. The recreational infrastructure must provide an economic opportunity for the local area with the ability to increase visitation, boost local businesses and/or attract and retain residents. In 2019 the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation increased the value of grant awards for larger projects like Dry Creek Lake. The Lake Mountains Recreation Area in Eagle Mountain was awarded $24,050 and the Saratoga Springs Harbor was awarded $150,000 in the 2020 UORG grant cycle as well.

W.W. Clyde has been hard at work on Dry Creek Lake over the last two months. Crews will reinforce the dam, dredge the lake, upgrade/rebuild the spillway, build trails, and grade the parking lot. Construction on the project is set to be completed in Spring 2021.