The Little Dell
Recreation Area located in Parleys Canyon (Dell Fork) 5 miles from
Salt Lake City was open to the public during 1999 for its first
season of operation. Russ Hone, Watershed Administrator, reported
the results of a customer satisfaction survey in a report given to
the Public Utilities Advisory Committee at its January
27th meeting.
First opened to the public on May 18, 1999 the facility remained
open until October 31, 1999. The operation hours were from
8:00 a.m. to 8: p.m. daily. Mr.Hone told the Advisory
Committee that 4,160 people visited the site during the season with
1,270 vehicles paying the $5.00 per car entrance fee. There
were 258 surveys completed and returned for evaluation. The
survey results showed that 99 percent of the users were satisfied
with the appearance and maintenance of the facility. Mr. Hone
quipped that "the recreation facility is considered not typical for
Utah." The Army Corps of Engineers constructed the new facility as
part of the Little Dell Dam and Reservoir Project, with restrooms,
tables, improved trails and hand launched boat ramps. As the
recreation site is within Salt Lake City's watershed, the reservoir
provides drinking water to over 400,000 people, there is water
contact restrictions. Swimming is prohibited, as are motorized boats
on the reservoir
The uses of the facility were broken down to the following:
picnicking 38 percent, biking 2 percent, hiking 8 percent and
boating 52 percent. Fishing was included in the picnicking figure.
Comments from the survey participants included requests for:
- Season passes
- Longer hours
- Drinking water
- Swimming
- Electric trolling motors
- No fees
- Accept National/State Senior Citizen Passes
- Stock the reservoir with fish and
- Move the tables into the shade near the water.
Mr. Hone recommended to the Advisory Committee that a trial
program for seasonal passes be implemented next year for $25.00 per
pass. He further recommended that the hours be changed to 6 a.m. to
10 p.m., with the closing hours adjusted as the season changes and
it becomes darker earlier.