Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

Money Moves

Named to manage the airport wetlands as a waterfowl management area if the sale closes

Salt Lake City wants to hand nearly 1,000 acres of airport wetland to the state, at no charge, under a conservation easement that would bar development. The parcel sits northwest of Salt Lake City International Airport, near the Great Salt Lake.

Updated Oct 23

Built World

As of September 2026: No active waterfowl investigation

Sugar House Park's pond sat drained for two months this summer. Parleys Creek dropped to record-low flows, so Salt Lake County opened the outlet gate and let the creek run through the basin naturally instead of letting stagnant water fester. In September, water returned.

Updated Sep 14

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Managing drought impact on wildlife populations

Utah's elk are running out of food. Statewide reservoirs sit at 32% capacity, drought has withered the forage elk depend on, and herds have grown beyond what the land can carry. The Utah Wildlife Board on Aug. 20 added 450 antlerless elk hunting permits across eight units where elk exceed population objectives by hundreds.

Updated Sep 5