-
Dominguez and Escalante at Utah Lake
Spanish explorers, Fathers Dominguez and Escalante were the first Euro-Americans to enter Utah valley. They spent several days with the Yutas (Ute) Indians and observed how they fished along the shores of Utah Lake for food. -
Pioneers arrive in Utah
Groups of Mormon pioneers began arriving in Utah and soon began settling throughout the Wasatch front region. -
Fish save starving pioneers
Using seines (large nets) made of cotton yarn or flax, pioneer fishermen caught thousands of pounds of Bonneville cutthroat trout, June sucker, Utah sucker, and chub. In 1848, fishing companies were organized to collect fish for starving settlers who needed food. That year, frost killed early sprouting crops. Then came the crickets. Swarms destroyed many crops that survived the freezing temperatures. Without fish from Utah Lake, many settlers might have starved. -
Plentiful fish
"Indeed, so great was the number of suckers and mullets passing continuously upstream that often the river would be full from bank to bank as thick as they could swim for hours and sometimes days together.” — George Washington Bean, 1854. -
Fish to survive
1855 was a year of many challenges. First, hordes of grasshoppoers flew in and devastated crops across the state. Then, drought set. Irrigation water dried up. Crops died. Herds of livestock died. Forest fires killed wild animals the Utes depended on for food. Desperate pioneers and Native Americans turned to fishing. Eating fish was the only way many people survived. -
Transcontinental Railroad completed
The transcontinental railroad was completed in Utah at Promontory Summit on May 10, 1869. As the railroad lines extended south to Salt Lake City and Utah valley, thousands of new residents moved to Utah Valley in the 1870s and 1880s. With a growing population, there was greater demand on the water supply. -
Carp introduced
Bonneville cutthroat trout were decreasing in numbers and the state wanted to replace the trout to maintain balance in the lake and provide locals with a tasty fish. Unfortunately, the carp were aggressive and destroyed the pondweed on the surface and the plant life on the lake floor. This impacted native fish populations and made it easier for sediments to be brought up from the bottom by waves. -
"Pleasure resorts" open
People began realizing that Utah Lake and Provo River could be used for fun and relaxation. Several resorts opened around hte lake in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The first resort to open was Saratoga (where Saratoga Springs is today) and was followed by Geneva Resort, Provo Lake Resort, and Provona Beach. -
Mill race
The Provo mill race flowed from the Provo River to Utah Lake. Mills used the water to power their machinery. The water wheels of the mills kept trout and suckers from freely moving up and down the mill race. The mills dumped sawdust and other forms of waste into the tributaries of Utah Lake and the Jordan River. Sawdust from sawmills clogged the gills of trout. Dye, lanolin, and other waste from woolen mills polluted the lake. Power companies built dams that blocked fthe way for fish. -
Agriculture affects lake
By 1913, more than 200,000 acres of land were being irrigated. As water levels in the lakes and rivers dropped, it killed aquatic plants and millions of fish died from overcrowding. Fertilizers, chemicals, and treated sewage polluted the lake's water. Overgrazing of livestock increased erosion, so sediment levels were high. -
Geneva Steel opens
A steel mill called Geneva Steel Company opened on the shores of Utah Lake to produce steel for ship building during World War II. Thousands of jobs were available and people from eastern states came for work. Population increased and so did pollution of the lake. Raw sewage from growing communities was dumped into the lake, as well as waste products from the production of the steel. People stopped going to the lake. -
June Sucker classified as "endangered"
The June Sucker was classified as an endangered animal species and became federally protected. Efforts are under way to restore the population of June suckers. -
Geneva Steel closes
After almost 50 years of producing steel, Geneva Steet went bankrupt and closed. By 2007, the last parts of the steel mill had been disassembled. -
Carp removal
More than 8 million pounds of carp have been removed from Utah Lake. By reducing the number of bottom-feeding carp, they hope to reduce algae production and encourage growth of aquatic vegetation on the bottom of the lake. Carp destroy the plants that provide young suckers protection from predators, like white bass and walleye.
