Utah has one of the nation's strongest community fisheries program with 61 waters spread throughout the state. This network of waters provides close, convenient and safe spaces for anglers of all abilities to fish and are among the most heavily used waters in the state on a per-acre basis. A recent survey observed that 20% of Utah's 489K licensed anglers used community fisheries (Lillieholm et al. 2017), representing nearly 98K users. They also represent the majority of the fishing areas in Utah that are accessible for those with limited mobility. Fishing docks can be a means to get anglers away from shore and into prime fishing areas where their chances of catching a fish increase. Provide easy access to quality fishing opportunities is consistent with the objectives of the Division of Wildlife and it's municipal partners in the community fishing program and will aid in the recruitment and retainment of new anglers, thereby making a contribution to Utah's continued angling legacy.

The overall goal is to provide a safe and fun place for people of all ages and abilities to go fishing. These docks will expand and maintain access to the center of each pond, which fish can show a preference to during the hottest months of the year. Specifically, we would like to provide one new dock at Steed Pond, which will connect to a path, parking lot and be universally accessible. This will be part of a much larger project by the city that will ultimately include the addition of three new fishing docks, a bridge over the pond, pond aeration, pavilions, a fish cleaning station and walking trails. Most of the project will be paid for by Clearfield City. At Andy Adams Reservoir, will we would like to refurbish two docks that were repurposed in 2016. These docks came used from Jordanelle State Park and were already old at the time of install at Andy Adams. At this time, the dock floats are coming off and absorbing water and need to be replaced. The pile guides that allow the docks to move up and down with water levels need replaced as well. With these two items refurbished, each dock should gain at least another decade of useful life, if not more. At Farr West, project (#6512) came in significantly over budget after a local city contractor was bought by investors and declined to carry out the fabrication and install of the dock at previously estimated price. Farr West has since gotten quotes from numerous other construction and fabrication companies, with the lowest bid coming in roughly $37,000 over water was previously budgeted. The piles for the dock have already been installed, so the goal now is to get this large dock completed to provide improved access to the water at this popular pond.

Steed Pond was chosen as the site of a new dock to coincide with other improvements Clearfield City is doing to the pond and nearby park, which include a boardwalk, pavilions, aerator and more. The specific location of the dock on the west side of the pond was chosen to be close to parking, use patterns by anglers, and will ensure quicker, more convenient universal access for pond users. The docks at Andy Adams were chosen because they are now in need of maintenance this to keep them functioning.

This project is consistent with the Utah Division of Wildlife's Strategic Plan, specifically objectives C1 and C6, which call for increasing hunting and fishing opportunities and participation. In addition, docks are recommended amenities for community fisheries as detailed in the 2022-2027 Community Fishing Waters Strategic Plan (DWR 2022)

Not applicable

Not applicable

No archaeological clearance is required for previously disturbed ground, such as these ponds. NEPA is not required either. If awarded, project managers will follow all state of Utah purchasing rules and requirements.

If awarded, Clearfield City will be project manager when it comes to soliciting bids and selecting and overseeing a contractor to install the dock. Dock will be stationary (not floating), at least 20 feet long, with safety rails, and utilize composite wood decking for aesthetics and durability. The DWR will solicit bids from commercial dock specialists for the repair and refurbishment of the docks at Andy Adams Reservoir as specialized equipment is required to lift the docks and install the new dock floats and guides.

Public use and structural integrity of the dock will be monitored by Clearfield City, Layton City, Kays Creek Irrigation, Farr West and DWR Northern Region personnel.

Clearfield City, Layton City, Kays Creek Irrigation, Farr West and the Division of Wildlife Resources

Clearfield City and Farr West will be responsible for maintenance of their new fishing docks. The Division of Wildlife will assume responsibility for the maintenance of the dock at Andy Adams Reservoir as part of the three-way cooperative agreement for management of Andy Adams between DWR, Kays Creek Irrigation, and Layton City.

The new dock at Steed Pond will be made of steel frames and composite wood (recycled plastic and reused saw dust), which will reduce overall maintenance and improve sustainability compared to traditional wood, which would require annual treatments with a water sealant. The docks at Andy Adams have already been repurposed and will be maintained instead of scrapped and purchasing new ones. This strategy is more economical, keeps materials out of the landfill, and saves resources that would otherwise be used to create new docks.

07/14/2025

08/26/2026

2027

The project included dock construction or rehabilitation at three Northern Region community fisheries: Andy Adams Reservoir in Layton, Smith Park Pond in Farr West, and Steed Pond in Clearfield. At Andy Adams Reservoir, DWR contracted with Idaho Water Sports to refurbish two existing fishing docks over two mobilizations in late summer and November 2025. Work included replacement of deteriorated dock flotation, pile-guide components, brackets, and associated hardware. Refurbishing the existing structures restored their function and extended their useful life at substantially lower cost than complete dock replacement. At Smith Park Pond, General Building & Contracting fabricated the remaining components for the new fishing dock during summer 2025. Farr West City completed installation, including placement and securing of the dock frame on the previously installed piles, installation of decking, and completion of grading and concrete work connecting the dock to the existing trail. Construction was completed in late November 2025, and Farr West City held a grand opening on December 3, 2025. The completed arch-shaped dock provides substantial fishing space and was designed to allow users with limited mobility to travel through the dock without needing to turn around. At Steed Pond, DWR and Clearfield City solicited alternative pricing after the initial dock proposal substantially exceeded available funding. Clearfield City ultimately selected Northern Colorado Marine to fabricate and install a floating fishing dock, which was completed in late August 2026. The floating configuration allows the dock to rise and fall with seasonal water-level fluctuations associated with the local irrigation system. DWR and the participating cities will continue to inspect the docks during routine visits. The cities will conduct routine upkeep and minor maintenance, while DWR will coordinate with partners if major structural repairs are needed.

July 14, 2025 -- FY26 project implementation began. July 2025 -- Remaining Smith Park Pond dock components were fabricated by General Building & Contracting. Late summer 2025 -- Idaho Water Sports completed the first phase of refurbishment on the two Andy Adams Reservoir docks. November 2025 -- Idaho Water Sports returned after receipt of remaining parts and completed the Andy Adams dock refurbishment. Late November 2025 -- Farr West City completed installation and finish work on the Smith Park Pond dock. December 3, 2025 -- Farr West City held the grand opening for the completed Smith Park Pond dock. Late August 2026 -- Northern Colorado Marine completed installation of the new floating fishing dock at Steed Pond. August 31, 2026 -- Completion report submitted; final Clearfield City invoice remained pending. Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 - Clearfield will complete the concrete path and pad to the dock to ensure universal accessibility 2027 and beyond - Clearfield will continue with improvements approved by bond measure that include pond aeration, walking path, and pavilions. This project successfully completed or restored fishing-dock access at three heavily used Northern Region community fisheries. Work at Andy Adams Reservoir and Smith Park Pond was completed during summer and fall 2025, while completion of the Steed Pond dock extended into August 2026. At Andy Adams Reservoir, Idaho Water Sports refurbished two aging docks that had previously been repurposed from Jordanelle State Park. Most work was completed during the first mobilization in late summer 2025, with final work completed in November after additional parts arrived. Rehabilitation of the existing docks was considerably more economical than replacing the structures and should extend their useful life for many years. Completion of the Smith Park Pond dock represented the final phase of a project that began under WRI Project #6512. The project experienced substantial cost increases after the original local contractor was purchased and the successor company declined to honor the substantially discounted pricing previously offered to Farr West City. Farr West ultimately combined funding from Habitat Council and Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation grants to complete the project. General Building & Contracting fabricated the remaining dock components, and Farr West City completed installation in late November 2025. The finished arch-shaped dock is connected to the existing trail and provides a large, universally accessible fishing platform. The Steed Pond dock experienced a different cost challenge. An initial bid from a contractor previously used at other community fisheries was more than twice the cost of comparable docks constructed only a few years earlier and exceeded the available project budget. DWR and Clearfield City therefore evaluated alternative vendors and dock configurations and ultimately selected Northern Colorado Marine. A floating configuration was chosen that could be constructed within the available budget while also accommodating the substantial seasonal water-level fluctuations at Steed Pond. Installation was completed in late August 2026. The concrete pathway and pad to complete universal accessibility for the dock will be completed in fall of 2026 or spring of 2027.

As with similar projects, both DWR and the cities involved will monitor the condition of the docks. The cities will be responsible for general upkeep and minor maintenance of the docks and will contact DWR in the event that major repairs and maintenance need to be done.