Mountain Dell Dam

The Mountain Dell Dam provides a water equalizing and storage reservoir for Salt Lake City, Utah located 10 miles (16 km) east of the city in northeastern Salt Lake County, near Interstate 80 in Parley's Canyon.

At the time the plans were made, the city was in need of a sufficient supply of water, especially during late summer and the middle of winter.

The bedrock is a calcareous shale not entirely watertight and of a nature to decompose somewhat under exposure to air and water.

The cost of the structure was considerably increased because of the necessity of going 43 feet (13 m) below ground level in the bottom of the canyon to secure the bedrock foundation.

The maximum base width of the dam is 132 feet (40 m) from the face of the arch to the downstream end of the buttresses.

As of 2019 Mountain Dell Dam was listed as being in "poor" condition, with increased hazard due to its proximity to highways and parks, with risk to life in the event of failure.