Little Dell Project Completed

The Corps of Army Engineers determines final cost allocation to close out project

July 8, 2007

After nearly 60 years, the Little Dell Project is completed with the final accounting of the cost allocation between the local sponsors and the federal government.  The 20,500 acre-foot reservoir costs are allocated between flood control, water supply and recreation benefits under a 1986 Local Cooperation Agreement (LCA) and subsequent amendments.

The Salt Lake City Public Utilities Advisory Committee heard a briefing on the Little Dell Project at their June 28, 2007 meeting. “Its been 14 years since the project was completed and we’ve been working with the Army Corps of Engineers to finish the accounting,” said Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake & Sandy (MWDSLS) general manager Mike Wilson. “... and just in the past few months we have come to resolution of the accounting and Metro received a $640,000 check within the last month.  They still owe us $52,000.”

MWDSLC and Salt Lake County are the two local sponsors of the project.  Salt Lake City donated the land for the project, and the Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities operates and maintains the project in unison with its 3,000 acre-foot Mt. Dell Reservoir under an interlocal agreement with the sponsors.

General Counsel Joe Novak told the Advisory Committee that in 1986, June 10 Metro entered into an interlocal cooperation agreement with the Corps of Engineers. The estimated cost for the project was then $49.3 million.  The cost allocated to the water supply was to be fully repaid by the local sponsor; the cost allocation for the flood control was 25 percent by the local sponsor and the balance by the United States. There was no recreation included in the project at the time.

Novak noted that as the Project proceeded, “The construction cost kept going up, up, up and up … ending at $63,864,932." In order to get relief from the growing costs, Metro introduced legislation in Congress that would have limited the Metro’s cost to $11.5 million. “But that never got through,” said Novak.

Then a bit of luck, Metro hired an ex-Corps of Engineers employee to review the project. Boris Stienberg, who had a consulting office in Washington concluded that the criteria in 1980 provided for the Corps to pay as federal cost, a 100 percent of the joint costs allocated to recreation. “So the result of this finding was to incorporate recreation into the project, which reduced the cost allocated to M&I,” said Novak. The need for additional mitigation lands and the reallocation of costs led to the delays in finalizing the project.

With the final accounting the Army Corps of Engineers made the final allocation of costs between the local sponsors and the federal government. The total cost of the project is $63,864,932 and the water supply allocation to Metro is $11,736,894 (excluding the value of the lands).

The benefits of the Little Dell Project were averred by Public Utilities deputy director Jeff Niermeyer. “I’ve been on the operating side of it.  I’ve seen the flood control benefits where we have been able to … prevent flooding on 13th South.  It would have happened in 1997 and probably in 2005 where we would have had significant flooding if it were not for the Little Dell Project.” Another benefit is increased water supply, which help alleviate the 1992 and the recent 1999 - 2004 droughts. “The fact that we had significant more stored water in Parley’s Canyon really helped mitigate the impacts of drought,” said Niermeyer. 

Niermeyer also noted that there is 60 acres of land on the Jordan River that is permanently protected from development as mitigation offsets; as well as the additional mitigation land located along Parley’s Creek from approximately SR 36 along the north side of the golf course to Alexander Creek. “That corridor is now protected with a conservation easement.” said Niermeyer, “as well as the original mitigation lands that are on the upstream side of the pool in Little Dell between 124 – 127 acres of watershed and Jordan River lands are now permanently protected.” 

Historic Key Decision Dates

  • Construction of a storage facility on Dell Creek in Parleys Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah was first considered in the late 1940s when Dr. Ray E. Marsell, geologist consultant for the Utah Water and Power Board, recommended the project to the Salt Lake City Commission. The City Commission favorably viewed the project as an alternative to raising Mt. Dell Dam, but no action was taken.
  • In 1952 heavy spring snowmelt run-off and rains triggered action to build the project. Over 400 city blocks were inundated within the 1300 South flood plain causing $6 million in damages.  Mayor Earl J. Glade requested the Army Corps of Engineers to assist the City in alleviating future flooding problems.  After studying the matter, one of the Corp’s recommendations was to construct Little Dell Dam.
  • Sponsored by Salt Lake City, the Little Dell Project was first authorized by Congress under the 1960 Flood Control Act. The project was sized at 50,000 acre-feet and later reduced to 30,000 acre-feet with diversions from Mill Creek, Emigration Creek and Parleys Creek.  It was again authorized in 1968 under the Flood Control Act and Water Development Act of 1976. 
  •  The 1983 flood was the impetuous to finally construct Little Dell with flooding of 1300 th South for the second time in 31 years.  It was necessary to build embankments along both sides of 1300 South to contain the flood waters.
  • On December 11, 1984 Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and the Metropolitan Water District of Salt Lake City entered into an interlocal agreement to construct Little Dell.  Under the interlocal agreement, Salt Lake City agreed to donate city-owned land to the project.
  • On August 15, 1985 the U.S. Congress passed a 1985 Supplemental Appropriations Act, P.L. 99-88 funding the Little Dell Project.
  • On June 10, 1986, at a signing ceremony held in the City and County Building, the local sponsors and the U.S. Corps of Engineers entered into the LCA to construct the Little Dell Project. 
  • The first phase of construction began in the fall of 1987 with the relocation of SR 63.  Construction of the dam and diversion works started in 1989. 
  • The construction was completed on March 18, 1993 when the Corps of Engineers transferred the operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of the Little Dell Lake Project over to the sponsors.
  • On December 26, 1993, the gates were closed and water was impounded behind the dam. The reservoir filled on May 24, 1995.
  • On August 5, 1993 the official dedication ceremony was held at the dam site.
  • On April 7, 1995, recreation was added back into the project.
  • The recreation site was constructed from May 1998 to October 1998.
  • The recreation facility was opened to the public on May 19, 1999.
  • On March 28, 2007 the final accounting and cost allocations were made

Picture History of the Little Dell Project

Above:1983 flood renews interest in Project. Below:1987 Ribbon Cutting - SR 63 Relocation. L-R: Terry Holzworth (SLCO), LeRoy W. Hooton Jr, (SLC), Nick P. Sefakis, Adrian Pembroke and Charles W. Wilson (MWDSLC).

1988 Dam construction begins. Work begins with excavating to bedrock foundation and constructing the dam cut-off wall. The 224-foot high-zoned earthfill dam with a crest length of about 1,700 feet has 20,500 acre-feet of storage capacity. Construction took place between 1987- 1992.

1991 Parley’s Diversion. Pipe from Parley’s Diversion to the reservoir on SR 65.

1991 Tour. Public Utilities Advisory Committee members tour the project.

1992 Tour. Joe Novak and City Council Member Donald C.Hale tour the project.

1992 Dam Construction Near Completion. Up-stream view of the dam nearing the top elevation.

1992 Final cap of fill material. Dam near completion.  In 1992 the project was tuned over to the sponsors.

1993 O&M of Project. City Public Utilities operates and maintains the Little Dell Project.

1997 flood control. Water releases and storge during spring snowmelt help to reduce flooding within the 13th South flood plain.

2006. Little Dell Dam and Reservoir. Water supply from the project help alleviate the effects of the 1999-2004 drought.