Panguitch Lake Hypolimnetic Drain
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Project ID: 7639
Status: Draft
Fiscal Year: 2026
Submitted By:
N/A
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Project Manager: Nic Braithwaite
PM Agency: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
PM Office: Southern Region
Lead: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
WRI Region: Southern
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Description:
This project is to fund the cost of design and construction of a drain as part of a newly constructed dam at Pangutich Lake. The drain would pull water from the most nutrient-rich areas of the lake in an effort to reduce water quality issues caused by nutrient loading that currently pose a threat to the extremely popular and economically important fishery.
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Location:
Panguitch Lake in Garfield County along SR-143 (around mile marker 34).
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Project Need
Need For Project:
Panguitch Lake supports an extremely popular and economically important sport fishery. However, Panguitch Lake also suffers from water quality issues that threaten the fishery due to the risk of major fish loss from lethal temperature and dissolved oxygen levels during the summer months and already limits recreational opportunities due to regular harmful algal blooms in the late summer and early fall. The primary cause of the water quality issues is a high level of nutrients, specifically phosphorous (a TMDL found the Class 3A: Cold water fishery beneficial use was impaired by high total phosphorous and the low dissolved oxygen that results from excess nutrients supporting high phytoplankton production that then uses up oxygen). Nutrient-loading in Panguitch Lake for many years from a variety of nonpoint sources. Even if these nutrient sources are addressed, the high nutrient levels in Panguitch Lake will likely persist for many years. The fishery, recreational opportunities, and economic potential of Panguitch Lake would benefit greatly from a project that can help to address the nutrient load problem.
Objectives:
Significantly reduce the likelihood of a major fish loss at Panguitch Lake from lethal temperature and dissolved oxygen levels during the summer months.
Significantly increase recreational opportunities at Panguitch Lake by reducing the frequency and severity of harmful algal blooms in the late summer and early fall.
Project Location/Timing Justification (Why Here? Why Now?):
Panguitch Lake supports an extremely popular and economically important sport fishery. A major fish loss would be a devastating loss for anglers and those who love Panguitch Lake for its social value, as well as those who rely upon the fishery for it's large economic value. The water quality issues that threaten the fishery need to be addressed as soon as possible. Adding a hypolimnetic drain is one of the most meaningful actions that could be taken to address the water quality issues.
In the spring of 2024, cracks along a cap on the dam at Panguitch Lake put the structure at risk and repairing or replacing the dam became a top priority. Ultimately, it was decided a new dam needed to be built and construction is planned for the fall of 2025. Construction of a new dam would be an ideal time to add a hypolimnetic drain to help with the nutrient loading issue. Attempting to retrofit a new dam with a hypolimnetic drain would likely be prohibitively costly.
Relation To Management Plan:
Panguitch Lake has a
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| Budget | WRI/DWR | Other | Budget Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
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| Funding | WRI/DWR | Other | Funding Total | In-Kind | Grand Total |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
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