Willard Bay State Park hosts grand reopening a year after diesel spill

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Family walks along the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Box Elder County, state and federal officials walk along the newly contructed nature trail that passes through the restored wetland area at Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Sailboat has the water to itself near Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The inland area near here was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. None of the diesel spill made it into the reservoir. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina is restoring itself Wednesday May 21. The The cattails and willows are starting to thrive again. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Wood Duck box rises in the restored wetland area near the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Clear water with water loving plants runs through wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina is restoring itself Wednesday May 21. The The cattails and willows are starting to thrive again. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Restored wetland area near the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune
Matthew Allen with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation looks over the restored stream and wetland area near Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday.

Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune
Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

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Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Family walks along the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Box Elder County, state and federal officials walk along the newly contructed nature trail that passes through the restored wetland area at Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Sailboat has the water to itself near Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The inland area near here was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. None of the diesel spill made it into the reservoir. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014 Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014 Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina is restoring itself Wednesday May 21. The The cattails and willows are starting to thrive again. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014 Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Wood Duck box rises in the restored wetland area near the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Clear water with water loving plants runs through wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Wetland area between I-15 and Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion at the North Marina is restoring itself Wednesday May 21. The The cattails and willows are starting to thrive again. The area received the worst damage from the Spring 2013 diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone extensive clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014 Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Restored wetland area near the shoreline of Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt lake Tribune Matthew Allen with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation looks over the restored stream and wetland area near Willard Bay State Park's Eagle Beach Pavillion North Marina Wednesday May 21. The area was closed in Spring 2013 due to a diesel fuel spill from an underground pipeline. The area has since undergone clean up and improvements including wildlife habitat, restoration of nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking. The area will officialy open to the public on Saturday. Al Hartmann | The Salt Lake Tribune Firefighters from several departments mop up after a fire at a business at 3345 S. 200 East in South Salt Lake Thursday May 22, 2014

The Salt Lake Tribune

· May 21, 2014 9:32 pm

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

More than a year after a diesel fuel spill damaged wetlands at Willard Bay State Park, the park is fully reopening to the public.

A grand reopening is planned Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the park's North Marina. There will be free day-use, live music, food vendors and educational booths.

On Wednesday, reporters and photographers were given a sneak preview of improvements at the park, which was partially closed last year for cleanup, wildlife habitat restoration, improved nature trails and new day-use and overflow parking.

Earlier this month, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Chevron Pipe Line Co. would pay a $875,000 civil penalty for the spill at Willard Bay and another in 2010 into Red Butte Creek in Salt Lake City.

Chevron last December gave the state of Utah $4.45 million for the Willard Bay spill.

The six beavers rescued from the wetlands — and credited with dams that limited the damage — were rehabilitated and transplanted to the Uinta Mountains last August.

On Saturday, there will be boat launching from the South Marina, but not the North Marina due to limited parking. Camping is by reservation.