Willard Bay facts for kids
Willard Bay is a large freshwater lake in northern Utah. It's not a natural lake. People built it in 1964. The bay was made by separating a part of the Great Salt Lake. Now, it provides water for farms and homes. It's also a popular spot for fun outdoor activities.
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Exploring Willard Bay
Willard Bay is a huge freshwater lake. It covers about 9,900 acres (40 square kilometers). You can find it in eastern Box Elder County, Utah. It's located northwest of the city of Ogden. The bay sits on the flat lands near the Great Salt Lake.
The Weber Basin Water Conservancy District manages the water here. Utah State Parks and Recreation takes care of all the fun things to do. You can catch many kinds of fish in Willard Bay. These include black crappie, walleye, and wiper. You might also find smallmouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill. The lake is about 4,200 feet (1,280 meters) high. Around the bay, you'll see cottonwood trees. In winter, many eagles come here. It's a great place to watch them!
How Willard Bay Was Made
The idea for Willard Bay started a long time ago. In 1949, U.S. Senator Arthur Vivian Watkins from Utah had an important plan. He helped pass a project called the Weber Basin Project. This project aimed to build a lake. The lake would store extra water from the Ogden and Weber rivers. This water could then be used for farmland.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation designed the big wall that holds the water. This wall is called a dike. It's about 36 feet (11 meters) high. The dike creates a huge area of about 26.4 square miles (68 square kilometers). It can hold a lot of water, about 215,200 acre-feet. The W.W. Clyde Company finished building this dike in 1964. It was named the Arthur V. Watkins Dam. After the dam was built, the salty water was removed. Then, fresh water from the Weber River filled the bay. The bay was named after the nearby town of Willard. The town itself was named after Willard Richards, an important leader in the LDS church.
Fun at Willard Bay State Park
Willard Bay State Park is a great place to visit. It's located on the eastern side of Willard Bay. The park has two main areas for visitors.
North Marina
The north marina is about 15 miles (24 kilometers) north of Ogden. It has 62 places where you can set up your campsite. There are also restrooms and showers. If you have an RV, there are full hook-ups available. You can also rent boat slips here for a short time.
South Marina
The south marina is about 8 miles (13 kilometers) north of Ogden. This area is open from April to October. It has 30 campsites with restrooms. Twenty-four of these campsites have full hook-ups for RVs.
