Protecting the Jordan River

Salt Lake County is pleased to have been a leader in preservation and enhancement of the 50-mile Jordan River corridor for 30 years, starting in 1971 with the development of a visioning document for the river corridor called, Jordan River Parkway: An Alternative. This document suggested the creation of a linear parkway spanning from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake, with nature preserves and a paved trail system as the centerpiece.

Since that time, the County has continued to lead - acquiring and permanently protecting open space along the river, building trail segments, completing bank stabilization and restoration projects, and planning for watershed protection. In 2007 the County headed up the development of the Blueprint Jordan, an updated regional vision for the river corridor.

The Blueprint Jordan River was developed through a collaborative process lead by Envision Utah.  The document captures the collective imagination of over 3,000 residents and outlines an aspirational vision for the river corridor that includes open space preservation, expanded recreational opportunities, environmental education, better community connections, and a series of river centers - responsibly developed nodes that embrace and celebrate the river. This visioning process spurred the creation of the Jordan River Commission, a voluntary collaboration of cities and counties along the river corridor, which is now working to facilitate implementation of the Blueprint.

I am pleased to represent the County Council on the Governing Board of the Jordan River Commission. Last month my colleagues, Councilman Jim Bradley and Richard Snelgrove, and I encouraged the County Council to pass a resolution reaffirming the County’s commitment to implement the goals of the Blueprint Jordan River. This resolution was approved. One key element of this resolution is a pledge by the County Council to decline financial participation in any redevelopment or economic development projects within the river corridor that do not adhere to the guiding principles of the Blueprint Jordan River. With this legislation, the County continues to lead the region in river corridor protection and we are working with cities along the river to encourage their preservation of the precious remaining open space along the river.