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Deer Creek Reservoir

Utah · Reservoir impounded 1941 · near Midway

2,965 acres 137 ft deep 15 ft clarity Water C
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5.7SCORE
Survey summary · Utah
2,965
Surface acres
137 ft
Max depth
20 mi
Shoreline
15 ft
Typical clarity
5,417 ft
Elevation

Deer Creek Reservoir covers 2,965 acres in Utah and drops to 137 feet at its deepest point. It is a reservoir impounded in 1941 and managed by Bureau of Reclamation. Water level is the thing to understand here: the pool can move roughly 30 feet, typically drawn down in autumn. That changes dock function, boat access, and what the shoreline looks like in listing photos versus in person. Short-term rental posture: Wasatch County. Confirm at the municipal level before underwriting rental income.

What stands out

  • Sailing
  • Windsurfing

Watch outs

  • Seasonal drawdown near 30 ft — verify dock reach at low pool
  • Multi-year level volatility; review historical pool elevation before buying

Score breakdown

WATER RECREATION VALUE ACCESS INVESTMENT
Water 5.6
Recreation 6.4
Value 4.3
Access 6.1
Investment 6.0

Each axis is computed by published formula from this lake's own attributes. How we score.

Water quality grade
Water A
ExcellentClear, low-nutrient water. Typically oligotrophic with high clarity and little seasonal algae.
Water B
GoodHealthy water with moderate clarity. Some seasonal variation, no persistent problems.
Water C
FairProductive water — good fishing, reduced clarity. Algae possible in late summer.
Water D
PoorNutrient-rich or heavily drawn down. Swimmable conditions vary; check before you rely on them.

Computed from measured clarity, trophic state, and drawdown magnitude — not an opinion. See the formula.

Overall score, 1–10
8.0+
ExceptionalStrong on every axis we measure.
7.0–7.9
StrongClearly above average, usually with one standout axis.
6.0–6.9
SolidA good lake with a trade-off worth understanding.
5.0–5.9
MixedReal strengths and real compromises.
Under 5
CompromisedSomething material — volatility, water quality, or access.

Weighted: water 26% · recreation 22% · investment 20% · value 18% · access 14%.

Fishery

Rainbow troutBrown troutSmallmouth bassYellow perch

On the water

SailingWindsurfingFishingBoating
No USGS gauge on this lake. We only publish a station when its own name matches this water body. Nearby gauges on other lakes would look like data and mislead you, so we show nothing instead. Why we do that.
18.60 deg C
Temperature
2026-08-04
3.72 ft
Gage height
2026-08-04

Gauge history

Daily values from USGS. Loading up to one year.

What the drawdown looks like

Full pool vs autumn low · Deer Creek Reservoir
30 ft FULL POOL AUTUMN LOW

The dock sits at full-pool elevation. At low pool the waterline retreats and the reach to navigable water changes. Scale is illustrative; the 30 ft figure is from published operations for this lake.

Where it is

True shoreline from USGS NHD 10 km²

The outline is this lake's actual boundary from the USGS National Hydrography Dataset, not an approximation — 208 boundary points. Basemap is USGS topographic with contours and hydrography. Switch layers at the top right.

Depth profile

SURFACE 137 ft max avg 44 ft

Idealized cross-section. Max depth 137 ft, average 44 ft. Depth at a specific dock depends on local bathymetry — verify at the property.

Level behaviour

Level stabilityVolatile Typical drawdown30 ft Drawdown seasonAutumn Trophic stateMesotrophic Typical clarity15 ft Water quality gradeC Elevation5,417 ft Managing authorityBureau of Reclamation
This lake moves. A drawdown near 30 feet changes dock reach, boat access, and the look of the shoreline. Tour in the low season, or at minimum look at the gauge history above before you offer.

Dock & shoreline

Permitting authorityUtah State Parks Wake / speed rulesOpen water
A dock is never guaranteed. Confirm in writing with Utah State Parks that the specific parcel is eligible before you remove contingencies.

Short-term rental posture

Wasatch County

Generally permitted, but rules change. Confirm the specific municipality and any HOA covenant.
Model rental income →
Modeled estimates. Market figures are derived from lake attributes and regional patterns, not from MLS data. Treat them as a starting point, not a comp.
$655,000
Median waterfront
$3,323
Per shoreline foot
+9.6%
Year over year
189
Est. inventory
90
Avg days on market
$549
Est. nightly rate

Rental snapshot

Modeled occupancy71% Booked nights / yr187 Gross revenue$113,224 Net operating income$55,595 Yield on median price8.49%
Open the full model →

What a median-priced home on Deer Creek Reservoir actually costs to carry, with waterfront-specific line items most calculators omit.

$5,561
All-in per month
$149,970
Cash to close + setup
$15,695
Beyond P&I, tax, insurance
Where the annual cost goes
$66,736 PER YEAR
Principal & interest $41,413 (64%) Maintenance reserve (1.1%) $7,205 (11%) Property taxes $6,878 (11%) Hazard insurance $2,751 (4%) Utilities $2,700 (4%) Flood insurance $2,400 (4%) Shoreline / seawall reserve $960 (1%) Dock maintenance $900 (1%)

Annual carry

Principal & interest$41,413
Property taxes$6,878
Hazard insurance$2,751
Flood insurance$2,400
Utilities$2,700
Maintenance reserve (1.1%)$7,205
Septic service$520
Well & water testing$260
Dock maintenance$900
Winterization / seasonal close$750
Shoreline / seawall reserve$960
Total$66,736
Model your own numbers →

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