09/05/2026
Echo: Back in the Day
Long before Echo became a destination for boating, camping and fishing, its primary purpose was water.
The story of Echo Reservoir goes back to the early days of settlement in northern Utah. By the late 1800s, farmers were diverting water from the Weber River to irrigate their growing agricultural communities. As more land was developed, it became clear that a larger and more dependable water supply was needed.
The Bureau of Reclamation answered that need with the Echo Dam and Reservoir, a major part of the Weber River Project. Construction began in 1927 and was completed in 1931. Building the dam was no small task. Portions of the Union Pacific Railroad and the Lincoln Highway had to be relocated to make room for the reservoir.
The completed dam stood 158 feet high and created a reservoir capable of storing about 74,000 acre-feet of water. The stored water could then be released when needed, helping provide a more reliable supply for farms throughout the Weber River Basin.
But over the years, Echo became more than a place to store water.
The reservoir's open water and mountain setting attracted people looking for a place to fish, boat, camp and enjoy the outdoors. By the late 1960s, local residents from the Coalville area were running the recreation concessions and resort at Echo.
In 1968, Joy Ray and other Coalville-area schoolteachers began operating the concessions. Ray eventually became a familiar face at Echo, helping establish the recreation tradition that would continue for generations.
Today, Echo Reservoir covers roughly 1,394 acres and is enjoyed for boating, fishing, camping and other outdoor activities.
What started nearly a century ago as an irrigation project has become something much more—a place where water, history and recreation come together.
Echo has been serving Utah for nearly a century.
