Little Cottonwood Creek
Authored by Jess Lofland
The Goshute tribe named Little Cottonwood Creek, si'a-dai-di-ma [01]. To some indigenous tribes, it was wa-ko-no-kin, according to Captain Stansbury’s 1952 map [02]. It was used as shared hunting grounds for the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone tribes [03]. Colonial settlers changed its name to reflect the “littleness” of canyon width and the cottonwood groves along its banks [04].
The creek is a valuable water source for Salt Lake Valley residents. From July to March, the creek has little flow due to culinary and hydropower diversions, becoming fully dewatered in dry years. To supplement, Jordan River water is brought in, via a canal, at Fort Union. This has seriously degraded water quality and the riparian ecosystem. The creek still generates power for Murray [05].
The canyon was known for its fabled town, Alta. Extractive industries mined and smelted silver and lead along the creek through the late 1800s. Heavy metals still impact water quality to this day. Now, it’s better known for its frozen water, the “Greatest Snow on Earth,” and two world-renown ski resorts: Alta and Snowbird. Snow often totals over 500 inches at Alta [06].
As the creek crosses Interstate-215, it is carried high above in a concrete box culvert. Downstream, the creek flows through Wheeler Farm, a 75-acre agriculture museum and public park. Salt Lake County purchased the farm in 1969, and efforts were made to preserve the historic buildings and curate the museum. It was opened to the public in 1976 [07].
Facts
Native Name: Wa-ko-no-kin or si'a-dai-di-ma [Goshute]
Watershed Size: 39.9 square miles
Total Stream Length: 22.6 miles
Buried: 0.7 miles
Impaired: 21.9 miles
Water Quality Impairments: Cadmium, copper, pH, Zinc, temperature, total dissolved solids, E. coli, and degraded aquatic habitat condition (observed-to-expected bioassessments)
Average Peak Flow: 350 cubic feet per second
Average Low Flow: 8 cubic feet per second
Cities: Alta, Cottonwood Heights, Midvale, and Murray
Population Count (2020): 96,141
Median Age (2020): 37
Diversity Index* (2020): 41
Housing Units (2020): 39,208
Owner-Occupied: 59%
Renter-Occupied: 36%
Median Household Income (2020): $77,082
Median Home Value (2020): $374,493
Housing Affordability Index** (2020): 119
My Little Cottonwood Creek
An interactive website to immerse yourself in the Little Cottonwood Creek watershed, and encourage exploration by reporting issues and publishing stories.
Sources
Chamberlin, Place and Personal Names of the Gosiute Indians of Utah (1913).
Stansbury, Map of the Great Salt Lake and Adjacent Country in the Territory of Utah (1852).
Native Land Digital, Native Land Map (2021).
Bowman, From Silver to Skis: A History of Alta, Utah, and Little Cottonwood Canyon, 1847-1966 (1967).
Salt Lake County, Stream Care Guide (2014).
University of Utah, Hidden Water – A Survey of Salt Lake Valley Survey Water: Little Cottonwood Creek (2021).
Salt Lake County, Story of Wheeler Historic Farm (2021).
Seven Canyons Trust, Creek Channel Alignment Data (2018).
Seven Canyons Trust, 100 Years of Daylighting (2014).
Utah Division of Water Quality, Beneficial Uses and Water Quality Assessment Map (2016).
Esri, Forecasts for 2020 and 2025 with converted Census 2000 data into 2010 geography using one-mile buffer to creek (2021).
*Likelihood two persons chosen at random belong to different race or ethnic groups, ranging from 0 (no diversity) to 100 (complete diversity).
**Ratio of median household income to median home value. A value of 100 means a typical family has exactly enough income to quality for a mortgage on a typical home. Above 100, the typical family earns more than enough and, below 100, they do not earn enough.
