Deer Creek Reservoir - Kite Launch - Utah Kiting Community

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Deer Creek Reservoir - Kite Launch - Utah Kiting Community

Postby Spencer R » Mon Oct 05, 2020 10:03 pm

For those not on Facebook - I have posted the following to the Utah Kiters and KWA Facebooks forums:


Deer Creek Reservoir - Kite Launch - Utah Kiting Community - Discussion

This post is to open up a discussion for the current and future use of the Kiting Launch at Deer Creek Reservoir. Please feel free to add other items and issues and voice your concerns, thoughts, needs, wants, etc. Also please correct any misinformation.

To understand a bit better the area (Deer Creek Reservoir) that we use, it may be helpful to understand the general entities that own, manage and govern the use of this and surrounding spaces in relation to our kiting launches:

Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) - Owns the land within the high water mark of Deer Creek Reservoir and some surrounding areas.

Provo River Water Users Association - operates and maintains the Deer Creek Division of the Provo River Project, a Bureau of Reclamation water project.

Division of Parks and Recreation / State Park / BLM - management of the Deer Creek Reservoir State Parks facilities and recreational activities.

UDOT (Utah Department of Transportation) - own and manage the corridors in which the pullouts (where we currently park) are located.


After discussion with Deer Creek Reservoir State Park Manager today in regards to several points brought up by members of our kite community, I thought I would lay out information that I have collected:

- Fee Area
As kiters (along with others) currently park within the UDOT corridor, in what is considered "pull out areas" by the State Park, both at "Kite Beach (high water)" and "Pepe's Point" (low water), the State Park have opted to not put up Iron Rangers / Fee Area signage at this time, as enforcement would be difficult. They are looking into it, but realistically until there are improvements (such as a defined vehicle entrance, parking area, toilets, etc.) at the Kite Beach location, there is no plan for fee stations. As a kiting community, we typically access Deer Creek Reservoir from these currently unregulated entrance points, and as such I would still like to encourage those that can, to please purchase an annual State Park Pass.

- Spraying for Thistle / Launch Area grass mowing
The State Park will be spraying the grass field for encroaching thistle, they will also continue to mow as needed.

- Committee / Proposal / Improvements
I would like to begin a discussion of getting together a Committee to prepare a proposal for the Deer Creek Reservoir State Park Manager. I believe that perhaps we have reached to point of growth that we need to prepare a formal request regarding our interests for this kite launch area, and a Committee to coordinate with the State Park Management. This Committee would be tasked with collecting input from the kiting community on concerns / needs / wants and preparing a more formal proposal for the future of Kite Beach at Deer Creek Reservoir. The State Park Manager is definitely open to our thoughts and also receiving a proposal for this area with signatures from all those in the community. The State Park Manager requests funds annually for various projects, and if approved would be willing and able to allocate funds for improvements at our launch location. If there are specific things that we would like as a community then this would be the first step.

- Signage - Kiting guidelines - Best practices - Etiquette - Public - Education

Signage - As our launch area has continued to see an increase in kite users, along with other beach goers, there has been discussion along with some implementation of basic signage (placed at the windsock) for kiters (kiting guidelines, etiquette / best practices, launch site specific items, egress / ingress ). Additionally a request for signage (placed at entrance areas) for the general public (Aerial warning signs showing active kite launching/landing areas / egress / ingress / high risk areas for beach goers / various things to be aware of when approaching kiters on land and in the water/ etc.). I believe that we can implement some basic signage at the windsock in a "temporary" fashion for when we are active during the season. From the State Park point of view any signage at the entry would need to be approved and since the State Park has not dealt with our sport specific signage it is currently unclear on the direction this will go. This may be at the discretion of the State Parks Manager. One idea brought up would be to place a Bulletin Board type signage (similar to that at the Charleston launch down the road) and then post all kiting specific signage on that board. I think the above Committee can also coordinate with the State Park Manager on what this signage would entail.

Education - as we are still relatively small kiting community when compared to other places, part of maintaining a good vibe and flow at the kite launch is in education. As you know I have a tendency to approach others that I don't recognize, as they may be new to this launch and see if they have any questions. I usually inform them of our launch etiquette, egress/ingress, wind patterns, obstacles and areas to ride and not ride. (Hopefully we can get some of this in signage form). Now I understand that this may not be for everyone, but if you see someone that may be new and not know launch specific etiquette, obstacles and wind patterns, please take a few minutes and introduce yourself and see if they have any questions. Additionally when someone is doing something that may be potentially dangerous to them or others, please patiently take the time to educate and help them to understand some best practices. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, then find me or someone that might be able to help. Additionally as we are seeing other groups use this access point, we can also patiently educate these users as to our egress points and dangers involved. Most people love to see what we do and are stoked to watch. Ultimately we are individually responsible for our own safety, and the safety of others in regards to the dangers we pose with our equipment. It's always better to know that we made an effort to educate, and that there's at least one other person out there to help you.

- Opening Beach Access / Remove all Willows
The question has been brought up as top why we can't get larger power equipment in place to clear the whole beach of willows from the highway to the Charleston launch (as they had done historically), as this would eliminate much of our high water issues. The State Park Manager has indicated that anything that is below the water line within the BOR jurisdiction would require a lot of red tape / environmental studies / etc. The current allowance for us to clear what we have been doing, has been at the discretion of the State Park Manager.

- Launch Type (High Water Level / Low Water Level (Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced) / Kite School / Return to the past / Parking-Pullouts

Water Levels
Over the years water levels have fluctuated and receded at different rates. Some years water levels have been lower and beyond the willows at the start of the season only to rise to the high water mark then recede again as the summer progresses into the fall. Sometimes the water level is at high water mark when we start and quickly recedes before summer. During drought years at times the water level has never went higher than the outer willows. I think we can all agree that we face different challenges and benefits at high water as compared to low water levels.

High water levels - safer as we can get into the water faster / tighter launch constraints / more obstacles / intermediate-advanced launch / more users - higher stress / we have to be more coordinated with our egress/ingress and more patient with those around us.

Low water levels - Less stress/ users can spread out on the beach / more beginner friendly / we have to walk father from the launch which increase levels of danger depending on wind conditions.


Launch Type
Before we cleared the willows over the last number of years, this launch was definitely an advanced launch spot at high water. As we have cleared the space more, it has moved us into an intermediate launch in the right wind conditions and beginner launch as the water recedes past the willows.

Kite School / Teaching
As far as I know at this time, there is currently one kite school (Uinta Kiting) as a concessioner at Deer Creek Reservoir. For the last 5-6 years Rob at Uinta Kiting has been the primary point person between the State Park Manager and the kiting community in regards to initiating and coordinated beach cleanup and mowing. I have also been in touch with the State Park Manager during the last 4 years in conjunction with Rob, in regards to these coordinated cleanups and future use. Hopefully with a committee of the kiting community that includes Rob and any other future vendors, we can address any issues, etiquette, guidelines specifically with teaching (private or business). Traditionally the area to the north of the most northern path has been consistently used for ground training with trainer kites and appropriate 3/4/5 line kites. At high water if enough area north of the main egress path students (private and business) have been taught in this area. Additionally boats have ferried students (private and business) from the main kite egress areas out to deeper water. As the water recedes instruction has continued at the grass launch area but also moved and spread out along the beach area. Note that I am not dictating protocol or designating these as teaching areas but just noting what has been traditionally done at this location.

Return to the past:
It has also been expressed by various users of a return to the past. In this scenario we would let all the existing willow grow back resulting in a smaller area to egress to open water. This would limit the number of kiters to those that have the skill to tack out during onshore winds through a small gap. This would also dissuade other users of the area (swimmers / picnickers / SUP / kayaker / fishermen / etc.) from even approaching this area. Thoughts?

Parking / Pullouts:
Kite Beach:
Currently we are all typically parking it what’s being considered as a “pullout” along the UDOT corridor for Utah State Route 113. It has been rumored that a bike / walking path may extend all the way through this area eventually. It would be a continuation of the bike/walking path from Midway to the Provo River Bridge / Charleston. This would affect our current parking situation. As we can get upwards of 50 kiters at this spot on the busiest days. The proposed committee would also be tasked with highlighting this issues to the Deer Creek Reservoir State Park Management and hopefully UDOT and State Park can work out a solution if this occurs. Once again a rumor as far as I know, but something to consider for the future.

Pepe's Point (first pullout on Highway 189 west of Utah State Route 113):
- As this post has been mainly dealing with Kite Beach and not other areas, I wanted to note some other items that I am aware of regarding Pepe's point (low water pullout and access point). My understanding is that there are plans by UDOT to continue the 4 lanes from Heber all the way through to Orem. The current 189 north/south bound highway, would go to 2 lanes southbound, and 2 northbound lanes would be constructed from approximately Island Beach through to approximately the 113/189 junction. As for us, this may eliminate our low water pullout (Pepe's Point). I'm not sure of timeframe or if this is 100% the plan or if the pullout would be eliminated, but I just wanted to inform the community what I've heard.

- Wish List for Deer Creek Reservoir - Kite Beach (the following are wish list items that others in the community have expressed)
- Permanent Wind Sock
- Weather Meter Station
- Camera (to show current conditions)
- Designated Signage
- Designated / defined landing-launch-teaching areas
- Parking lot
- Bathrooms
- Water spigot / shower area
- No maintenance - let everything grow back / put the barb wire back in place
- Others?



Once again this post is to open up a discussion for the current and future use of the Kiting Launch at Deer Creek Reservoir. Please feel free to add other items and issues and voice your concerns, thoughts, needs, wants, etc. I feel it is important that we are all heard individually and then as a community make decisions that come together as one.
Spencer R
 
Posts: 72
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:13 am

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