Box Lake (payson City)
Box Lake (payson City) is an earth dam located in Utah County, Utah, built in 1890. It carries a High hazard potential classification and has a fair condition assessment.
About Box Lake (payson City)
The primary purpose of Box Lake (payson City) is irrigation. The dam stores and diverts water for agricultural irrigation, supporting farming operations in the surrounding area. The dam is owned by Payson City Corporation (local government). It impounds the E.fk Jones Ranch Creek near Payson.
The dam stands 22 feet tall and stretches 480 feet across, has a maximum storage capacity of 300 acre-feet, and collects water from a drainage area of 1 square miles. Completed in 1890, the structure is over a century old.
This dam carries a high hazard potential classification, which means that a failure or uncontrolled release of water would likely cause loss of human life. This classification reflects the consequences of failure, not the likelihood — it indicates that people live or work in the area downstream. Its condition is rated fair — the dam has minor deficiencies that are being addressed or do not pose an immediate safety threat. An emergency action plan is in place for this dam. The most recent inspection on record was 10/04/2023.
Living Downstream
If you live or work downstream of this dam, consider taking these steps: learn your local evacuation routes, check whether your county emergency management office has a dam failure inundation map, and sign up for local emergency alerts. The Utah dam safety program can provide more specific information about emergency planning for this structure.
Search for dams near your address to see all dams in your area with hazard classifications and safety data.
Location
| State | Utah |
| County | Utah |
| Nearest City | Payson |
| River/Stream | E.fk Jones Ranch Creek |
| Coordinates | 39.93627, -111.64588 |
Physical Characteristics
| Dam Type | Earth |
| NID Height | 22 ft |
| Dam Length | 480 ft |
| Year Completed | 1890 (136 years old) |
Storage & Hydraulics
| NID Storage | 300 acre-ft |
| Max Storage | 300 acre-ft |
| Normal Storage | 160 acre-ft |
| Drainage Area | 1 sq mi |
| Max Discharge | 45 cfs |
| Spillway Type | Uncontrolled |
Ownership & Safety
| Purpose | Irrigation |
| Owner | PAYSON CITY CORPORATION |
| Owner Type | Local Government |
| Hazard Classification | High |
| Condition Assessment | Fair |
| Last Inspection | 10/04/2023 |
| Emergency Action Plan | Yes |
Identifiers
| NID ID | UT00652 |
| Federal ID | UT00652 |
| More Info | State Dam Safety Program |