Strawberry Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strawberry Reservoir |
|
|---|---|
 Strawberry Reservoir
Location in Utah
Strawberry Reservoir
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation Wasatch County, Utah, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°10′28″N 111°07′36″W / 40.1744055°N 111.1267550°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Built | 1972 |
| Max. length | 10.6 miles (17.1 km) |
| Average depth | 200 feet (61 m) |
| Max. depth | 200 ft (61 m) |
| Water volume | 1,106,500 acre⋅ft (1.3648 km3) |
| Residence time | Mountain Standard |
| Surface elevation | 7,612 ft (2,320 m) |
Strawberry Reservoir is a big lake in Utah, USA. It's a very popular spot for fishing, with over 1.5 million hours spent fishing there each year! It's even part of a special "Blue Ribbon Fisheries" program, which means it's a top-notch fishing location.
You can catch cool fish like rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and kokanee salmon here. You might also find crayfish, which are sometimes called "crawdads." The reservoir is about 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Heber, Utah, right off U.S. Route 40.
Strawberry Reservoir is located in a place called Strawberry Valley. This valley naturally drains into the Colorado River. However, the dam at the reservoir was built to send water to Utah Valley instead. In 2006, the American Fisheries Society gave Strawberry Reservoir an award for being an outstanding project for sport fish development and restoration.
Contents
How Was Strawberry Reservoir Built?
The main dam that created Strawberry Reservoir is called Soldier Creek Dam. It's an earthen dam, meaning it's made mostly of dirt and rock. It stands 272 feet (83 m) tall and is 1,290 feet (390 m) long at the top. This dam was finished in 1972 as part of a huge project called the Central Utah Project. Its main goal was to help with irrigation, which means providing water for farms.
There was an older dam, the original Strawberry Dam, built in 1913. It was about eight miles upstream from where Soldier Creek Dam is now. That old dam was taken down on purpose in 1985. When Soldier Creek Dam was built in 1972, it made Strawberry Reservoir much bigger. Its capacity grew from 283,000 acre⋅ft (349,000,000 m3) to a huge 1,106,500 acre⋅ft (1.3648×109 m3) of water, covering an area of about 17,164 acres (6,946 ha).
What Happened to the Fish in Strawberry Reservoir?
In 1990, something unusual happened at Strawberry Reservoir. The lake was chemically treated to remove all the aquatic life. This was done to get rid of unwanted fish, especially a type called the Utah chub. These "trash fish" were taking over and making it hard for the sport fish to thrive.
After the treatment, new fish were put back into the lake. But soon, the Utah chub started to appear again! The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) found that the Bonneville cutthroat trout (especially the Bear Lake type) were very good at eating the chub. So, they started using these cutthroat trout to help control the number of chub in the lake.
Because of this, there are special rules for fishing at Strawberry Reservoir, especially for cutthroat trout. For example, as of 2008, any cutthroat trout between 15 inches (380 mm) and 22 inches (560 mm) long had to be put back into the water. Even if they were healthy, anglers had to release them. Fishermen are also encouraged to let go of all cutthroat trout, no matter their size. The DWR even says that "Any trout with cutthroat characteristics... is considered to be a cutthroat trout."
How is the Environment Protected at Strawberry Reservoir?
Over many years, the land along the Strawberry River, which flows into the reservoir, was used for grazing animals. This caused a natural chemical called phosphorus to wash into the river and then into the reservoir. Too much phosphorus can be bad for the wildlife in the water.
To fix this, a big project started to replant grasses and trees along the riverbanks. This helps to stop the phosphorus from washing into the water. This important restoration work was finished in 2019. The US Forest Service (USFS) still watches the area for weeds and treats them when needed. They also work to improve habitats for sage grouse, which are special birds that live in the area. Grazing is still allowed in some places where it was before.
What is the Weather Like at Strawberry Reservoir?
The weather around Strawberry Reservoir can change. Here's a look at the average temperatures and rainfall from a nearby weather station called Strawberry Divide:
| Climate data for Strawberry Divide, Utah, 2004–2020 normals: 8123ft (2476m) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 33.6 (0.9) |
34.8 (1.6) |
42.8 (6.0) |
48.2 (9.0) |
56.5 (13.6) |
67.5 (19.7) |
74.9 (23.8) |
72.8 (22.7) |
64.9 (18.3) |
51.9 (11.1) |
41.9 (5.5) |
32.2 (0.1) |
51.8 (11.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 25.6 (−3.6) |
26.7 (−2.9) |
33.7 (0.9) |
38.7 (3.7) |
46.7 (8.2) |
56.1 (13.4) |
63.4 (17.4) |
61.4 (16.3) |
54.0 (12.2) |
43.1 (6.2) |
33.9 (1.1) |
24.8 (−4.0) |
42.3 (5.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.7 (−7.9) |
18.6 (−7.4) |
24.6 (−4.1) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
37.0 (2.8) |
44.7 (7.1) |
51.9 (11.1) |
50.1 (10.1) |
43.2 (6.2) |
34.2 (1.2) |
25.8 (−3.4) |
17.4 (−8.1) |
32.9 (0.5) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.69 (94) |
3.33 (85) |
2.61 (66) |
2.37 (60) |
1.94 (49) |
1.22 (31) |
1.11 (28) |
1.61 (41) |
1.99 (51) |
2.41 (61) |
2.68 (68) |
3.51 (89) |
28.47 (723) |
| Source 1: XMACIS2 | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation) | |||||||||||||
Where Are the Main Fishing Areas?
Strawberry Reservoir has four main areas where people like to fish:
- Strawberry Basin is the biggest part, making up 64 percent of the reservoir's water. It includes the original 8,400-acre (34 km2) reservoir.
- The Meadows is at the southern end of the reservoir. It fills a valley where the lower Indian Creek flows.
- Soldier Creek Basin is the deepest fishing area. It includes the old Soldier Creek Reservoir and has spots like Stinking Springs and Soldier Creek Bay.
- The Narrows is located between Strawberry and Soldier Creek. It includes the channels where the Strawberry River and Indian Creek flow into the reservoir.
What Kind of Aquatic Life Lives Here?
Here are some of the animals you can find living in the waters of Strawberry Reservoir:
- Bonneville cutthroat trout (Bear Lake Strain) - Oncorhynchus clarki utah
- Rainbow trout - Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Kokanee salmon - Oncorhynchus nerka
- Crayfish (also known as Crawdads)
- Utah chub - Gila atraria
