Your Water Updates

April 2025

Thanks to everyone who came to the Annual Meeting on March 27. We had a record turn-out, with 56 members attending! You can read over the minutes and view the slideshow by clicking the above links. We want to continue to improve our communication with members, as well as to increase volunteerism within the membership. Please consider lending your time and talents to keep BCLC flowing: add your name to our volunteer team here.

Water is being added to the main the canal this month. We will begin to open lateral lines into our district once the sediment has settled out and the lines are clear and ready to handle the water. We usually expect May 1 as a guaranteed day to send the water, but if everything is ready earlier than that (this is where volunteering can help!), we will get the water going in April.

March 2025

It’s time for our new water season to get underway! The board is working hard to get communications out to you for the Annual Meeting that will take place at Granite Library on March 27, 2025, at 7:00pm. They are also getting ready to send invoices out for your 2025 assessment fee. Be on the lookout for communications with details on how you can submit payment.

The Annual Meeting will cover last year’s projects and expenditures, maintenance projects for this coming season, and ways you can get involved to help keep the water running in all of the districts. Currently, there are around 10 members who volunteer their time in the ditches clearing debris and problem-solving. We would love the help of all 200 members on the system to keep things running all summer! Beyond keeping your own lines clear, please consider volunteering on some of the bigger projects that come up throughout the year. The first projects will be walking the lines in each District before water starts running to identify any potential issues. If you’d like to join your district lead on this project, please reach out (visit the Contacts page). If the system is in good shape, we will have water to your yards by May 1.

September 2024

On October 1, Salt Lake City will shut down the main canal for the season. Once water stops running through our system, BCLC will begin on repairs before snow starts flying. These repairs mostly consists of minor concrete repairs that do not sit in private backyards. The fall season is a great time to take a look at the lines on your own property to see if there are cracks that can be sealed or roots that can be cleaned out. Remember, you are responsible for the maintenance of the system on your own property, while BCLC takes care of repairs on public easements. Please contact your district lead if you have any repair suggestions. Happy Fall!

July 2024

BCLC has been working with Salt Lake City, Millcreek, and numerous developers on some issues in our area. Some of you have seen little to no water in your ditches on and off throughout the month as these issues are remedied. District 2, in particular, has been affected by development along Highland Drive. Thank you for your patience!

There are approximately 10 consistent volunteers who work to keep water running for the 200+ members on BCLC. The more help we have, the more quickly we can take care of issues in your local lines. We would LOVE you to volunteer with the organization! This can look like learning your own district line and helping to solve problems as they arise, communicating with developers and city officials, leading member communications, helping with accounting, and/or being available for ditch maintenance and construction. If you can volunteer your time, please complete this form so we know what types of volunteerism you are interested in: Volunteer Interest Form

June 2024

After a fairly wet May, that brought lots of construction disruptions in several BCLC districts, we finally have water running consistently. As a reminder, you may not always have water in your ditch! There are just over 200 members of BCLC and if someone is pulling water up-line from you, your water may be low or gone. Please don’t contact your district representative immediately! Wait a couple of hours to see the water fluctuates back. Along with that, if you are pulling water, you are not the only member wanting to use the water! Please be respectful of your neighbors and only pull water for irrigation (not for your kids to play in). Each unit of water equates to 1 acre-foot per year. I like to think of it as being able to pull water for 1 hour each week of the season, as needed.

We have had lots of people contacting district representatives about water issues that can be easily fixed by going to your own ditch and checking for obvious blockages, or talking to your neighbors about checking their lines. Please attempt to handle the situation at your property on your own BEFORE reaching out to BCLC volunteers.

April 2024

Water has been moved into the main canal by Salt Lake City Corp. We will let the sediment run past and settle out before opening the gates to the BCLC Districts. In order to open the BCLC lines, it is important for each member to clear the debris (leaves, sticks, trash) from the lines and to check in with your neighbors to see if they have done the same. This will prevent flooding situations once the water is allowed down the lines. Though each District has a volunteer to check the lines throughout the season, it is much more efficient for individual members to take care of the lines in their immediate vicinity. Talk to your neighbors and ask about the line in their yard! The plan for 2024 is to open the District lines by May 1 (earlier if all lines are ready).

You are encouraged to attend the Annual Membership meeting on April 11, 2024, at 7:00pm, at Granite Library. This is were you can ask questions about your line, see how BCLC is using the assessments to maintain the system, and volunteer to help in your local district or with the BCLC Board. We are currently looking for volunteers at the Secretary position, people with construction experience (excavation, cement work, metal work), developer-relations, and City-government relations/representative. Please consider sharing your skills with the BCLC community to help you and everyone else get their water allotments on time and throughout the season!

September 2023

Sept 8 – We have received word from Salt Lake City that the canal water will be shut off for the season on September 30th. Please plan accordingly for your property. Once water is clear of your ditch, any off-season clean outs or repairs should be made on your property. Fall is the perfect time for this maintenance. Consider removing trees or roots that are impeding flow or beginning to damage pipes, clear ivy from around junction boxes, cover openings to prevent debris from building up, spend time sealing any cracks in the concrete or fixing holes/replacing pipe that have damage.

Join our Facebook group to share garden and water images, recipes, volunteer opportunities with BCLC, and generally connect with other water members in our organization. Click the Facebook icon at the bottom of the page!

A BCLC member’s August garden after irrigation.

August 2023

**Aug 31 Update** District 7’s main canal gate broke and is now awaiting repair by the Office of Public Utility. District 7 will be without water until this gate is fixed.

August has brought with it some low water times as you’ve probably noticed in your ditches. Luckily, we’ve also gotten some heavy rains! When storms are particularly heavy, we shut down the lines to prevent flooding.

Currently, we have 2 issues:

–District 2 has been working with developers to build and secure a new box that was damaged during construction work. Hopefully, you will see water running this week (assuming the new box and lines don’t show any leaks).

–District 6 was shut down on Aug 29 to allow a new pipe fitting to cure. Water will be turned back on in that district on the 30th or 31st.

July 2023

As the summer heat pushes higher, our water sources get slimmer. The canal ran pretty low for a couple of weeks in July, which is why you may have seen little to no water in your canal lines. We have been able to balance this out somewhat, but there are still other issues that have kept some of you from getting water regularly:

  • One major and on-going issue is a home construction site that broke our main line from the canal into District 2. If you are in this district, you have not been getting your water and we are unsure how low it will take for the building company to repair the line.
  • Another issue happened on 3900 S (affecting Districts 3, 4 and 5), where the road milling company broke through our line that runs under 3900. We stopped water for a couple of hours, but then were able to open it again since water was still able to stay in the line, even with the break. We expect to have to close this line once they are ready to make repairs, before paving the lane again. We do not have a timeline for this.
  • Lastly, District 6 has had to shut down off-and-on due to a leak.

Hopefully, your gardens are growing nicely and you are starting to see some produce. Those sweet garden tomatoes are the best! If you are on Facebook and are a member of BCLC, ask to join the Big Cottonwood Lower Canal Facebook group. You can post pictures of your water systems, gardens, and see other member’s gardens and recipes.

June 2023

Hello BCLC water users. This year’s canal season has been going very well! We have been able to fix some fairly major pipe issues and continue to do so as issues arise. The good news is that because so many of you have already paid your 2023 assessment fees, we are able to pay to get these issues fixed quickly so that you all continue to receive water to your properties. If you still need to pay your 2023 assessment, please refer to this page on our website. The current pipe maintenance is happening on 1100 E. If your property sits on the Sierra-Cutler Line (District 3), you are not currently receiving water due to this maintenance, but water should be able to flow within the next week. Thanks for your help in keeping your water lines free from debris and water flowing to properties down line from you! If you have any issues to report, please email, call or text your district lead. Lead contacts can be found here.