The Lifeline West of the Jordan: Brighton Canal Extension

The Brighton Canal Extension: Lifeline of Early Agriculture

The Brighton Canal diverts water on the west side of the Jordan River about 18 miles downstream from the present Turner Dam

The Brighton Canal Extension is part of a larger irrigation network known as the Brighton Canal System, which includes the main Brighton Canal and several branches, including the Middle and West Branches. These canals were essential to the growth of agriculture west of the Jordan River, bringing much-needed irrigation water to farmlands that otherwise struggled with Utah’s arid climate.

While the main Brighton Canal was established as a private ditch before 1882 and later overseen by the Jordan Irrigation Company, the Brighton Canal Extension appears to have been constructed after 1903. Its route crosses Redwood Road at approximately 2390 South, flowing westward from its junction with the main canal before rejoining its original alignment. The canal today is an open, earthen channel, averaging 16 feet wide and roughly 5 feet deep, though its shape and width have been altered over time through dredging and modern modifications.

A key historical feature along this segment is a concrete water control structure, likely used to regulate water flow. This feature consists of low, cast-in-place concrete walls set on both the north and south banks of the canal. Though partially submerged, the walls still show the L- and U-shaped designs used to control and direct the water.

Despite modern changes, including culverts under Redwood Road and realignment of sections of the canal, the Brighton Canal Extension continues its original purpose: bringing irrigation water to the lands west of the Jordan River. Its creation reflects the ingenuity and perseverance of early settlers, who hand-dug canals to transform the dry, alkaline soils into productive farmland—an effort that laid the foundation for the development of communities such as Granger, Hunter, and West Valley City.