Orem and Salt Lake City Deer Creek Site Visit
March 30, 2026

On March 11, 2026, team members from our Orem and Salt Lake City offices visited the Deer Creek Reservoir outflow area for a presentation and tour of the Deer Creek Intake project.

Key project background:

• The two valves controlling flow from the reservoir to the Provo River are original to the dam, installed in the late 1930s.
• These valves have required maintenance for years, but no bypass system was included in the original dam design to allow for that work.
• To solve this challenge, AE2S and Granite were contracted to bore a tunnel beneath the dam and construct a new bypass line.
• Because the reservoir serves many downstream users, draining it was not an option. The project required creative solutions, including:
  • Full‑time underwater construction crews
  • A crane mounted on a barge to lift and position heavy equipment

What our team saw during the tour:

• The massive 72‑inch dual pipes that carry up to 1,500 cubic feet per second from the reservoir to the river
• The new bypass connection to the main line leading to the outflow structure
• Newly installed valves located 90 feet underground
• Sensors and control systems that regulate reservoir outflow

Learn more about the project at: Deer Creek Intake Project | 2024 Recap