Upper Stillwater Reservoir
Encyclopedia
Upper Stillwater Reservoir is a large high mountain reservoir on the south slope of the High Uintas in Duchesne County, Utah
. The reservoir is part of the Central Utah Project
.
The reservoir was created in 1987 by the construction of a concrete gravity dam (Upper Stillwater Dam). The architecture of the rolled concrete dam is an attraction for engineers.
The reservoir elevation is 8,176 ft, and the mean depth is 103.5 ft. Available fish species include rainbow, brown, and brook trout.
The watershed
is primarily the Uinta Mountains
, the watershed high point being Ostler Peak (12,717 ft). It is estimated that twice or more the capacity of the reservoir is diverted towards the Wasatch Front
annually. The primary use of the water is for irrigation.
Area with the boundary only one mile north of the dam near the high water line for the reservoir. Recreation management is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, Ashley National Forest
. The managed recreation season is from June through September with high use on holidays and weekends. Boating, swimming, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, recreational vehicle driving, wildlife viewing, and winter sports are all popular activities.
Duchesne County, Utah
Duchesne County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2010 the population was 18,607, a 29.5% increase over the 2000 figure of 14,371. Its county seat is Duchesne and the largest city is Roosevelt.-Geography:...
. The reservoir is part of the Central Utah Project
Central Utah Project
The Central Utah Project is a United States federal water project. It was authorized for construction under the Colorado River Storage Project Act of April 11, 1956 as a participating project...
.
The reservoir was created in 1987 by the construction of a concrete gravity dam (Upper Stillwater Dam). The architecture of the rolled concrete dam is an attraction for engineers.
The reservoir elevation is 8,176 ft, and the mean depth is 103.5 ft. Available fish species include rainbow, brown, and brook trout.
The watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
is primarily the Uinta Mountains
Uinta Mountains
The Uinta Mountains are a high chain of mountains in northeastern Utah and extreme northwestern Colorado in the United States. A subrange of the Rocky Mountains, they are unusual for being the highest range in the contiguous United States running east to west, and lie approximately east of Salt...
, the watershed high point being Ostler Peak (12,717 ft). It is estimated that twice or more the capacity of the reservoir is diverted towards the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
annually. The primary use of the water is for irrigation.
Recreation
The area has one main campground, Rock Creek. The reservoir serves as a popular trailhead into the High Uintas WildernessHigh Uintas Wilderness
The High Uintas Wilderness is a wilderness area located in northeastern Utah, United States. The wilderness covers the Uinta Mountains, encompassing parts of Duchesne and Summit counties. Designated as a wilderness in 1984, the area is located within parts of Ashley National Forest and Wasatch...
Area with the boundary only one mile north of the dam near the high water line for the reservoir. Recreation management is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, Ashley National Forest
Ashley National Forest
Ashley National Forest is a national forest located in northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming. Within the Forest’s bounds are of vast forests, lakes, and mountains, with elevations ranging from . The Forest covers portions of Utah; Duchesne; Uintah; Daggett; and Summit counties in Utah and...
. The managed recreation season is from June through September with high use on holidays and weekends. Boating, swimming, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, recreational vehicle driving, wildlife viewing, and winter sports are all popular activities.