Newton Dam
# Newton Dam

Newton Dam is an earthen dam about a mile north of Newton, in Cache County, Utah, United States.

## Description

Original construction here dates from an earthen water-control project of 1872, built by LDS pioneers with ox and horsedrawn scrapers, the first large irrigation project in Utah and a contender for the first in the entire United States. That structure was replaced by the United States Bureau of Reclamation, a mile and a half downstream, in 1941-1946.

The dam is 101 feet high and contains 5,600 acre-feet of water. The impoundment of Clarkston Creek forms a reservoir of 350 surface acres, owned by the Bureau of Reclamation, and operated by the local Newton Water Users Association.

## Historic dam and reservoir

The original dam and reservoir were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 as Newton Reservoir. Originally built in 1871-1872 and rebuilt after wash-outs in 1874, 1877, and 1888, the dam was lined with rock and raised three feet in 1897. The capacity of the original reservoir was 1566 acre-feet. The location of the original dam is still visible, located at 41°54′43″N 111°59′24″W﻿ / ﻿41.912°N 111.99°W﻿ / 41.912; -111.99. The historic boundaries start from the old dam and cover a portion of Clarkson Creek to the west.

