Following the Water

Following the Water. . , [Caption]: Utah’s Patchwork Parkway offers travelers a diverse patchwork of colors, cultures, and climates., [Caption]: Photos below: Yankee Meadows Reservoir and Panguitch Lake. Photo above: Hidden Haven Waterfall., Water is the most precious resource in the arid landscape that surrounds you. Following the water, one discovers how it brought life to the Valley centuries ago. , Agriculture has been an important aspect of the Parowan landscape since Native Americans first farmed Parowan Valley. The pioneers established farms and built an extensive irrigation system after settling here in 1851. They captured water from mountain streams and channeled it down to thirsty farms on the valley floor., Harnessing the Power of Water, Parowan businesses harnessed the power of Center reek by dropping water wheels into the channel to provide power for their lathes and other machinery. It is here in these early Creekside shops that P.U.M.I. furniture was made., As pioneers began laying out Parowan’s Town Square in 1851, water became increasingly important to support not only the growing population but also the blossoming industries. Center Creek ran through the southwest corner of the old fort. Industries such as carpentry and blacksmith shops lined up along the creek, dropping water wheels into the channel to take advantage of the ‘free’ energy., By 1907, Parowan had established their first publicly owned hydro-electric generating plant on Center Creek. A reservoir in Yankee Meadows was also constructed to provide water to Parowan residents and farmers. A cooperative effort emerged between the City and the farmers that allocated 25% of the water to the City and the remaining 75% of water to agricultural uses. The Forebay was built to divide the incoming water from the Yankee Meadows Reservoir into two channels based on the agreed-upon allocation, providing either water for the residents or irrigation to the crops. The channels were further split into ditches – these used to run in front of nearly every home here in Parowan. The trees that are seen lining the streets of Parowan were originally planted along these ditches., In the late 1980s, Parowan built a pressurized irrigation system to conserve water. Residents within the city limits turned in their original water shares to receive access to the new pressurized system. The Forebay was enlarged to handle the additional demand required to operate the pressurized system., Hike to the Hidden Haven Waterfall, Part of the Parowan Canyon Wildlife Management Area and located between mileposts 8 and 9, Hidden Have is a one-mile-long trail that traverses forest, meadows, and a small canyon. Between Spring and the beginning of Summer when mountain snow is melting, hikers will find a waterfall gliding down the canyon wall. During the winter months, the waterfall turns to ice and lures in adventurous ice climbers., Panguitch Lake, Panguitch Lake has been a significant water resource for the Southern Paiutes, the pioneers that settled Parowan and Panguitch, and area wildlife., Historically utilized for fishing, sustaining livestock, nourishing nearby crops, and recreation, Panguitch Lake has been integral to the survival of cultural groups that have inhabited Parowan and the surrounding area., Today, the sustaining Panguitch Lake waters continue to draw in both people and animals. Visitors are invited to experience the lake through camping, boating, fishing, hiking, ATV riding, horseback riding, ice fishing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and cross-county skiing.