From River to Field: The 1870s So Jordan Canal That Built a Community

Lifeblood of the Land: The South Jordan Canal at 4400 South 3600 West

Long before suburban streets and neighborhoods filled the landscape, water was the most valuable resource for the settlers of Granger and the surrounding valley. In the 1870s, early pioneers worked alongside modern machinery of the era to dig the South Jordan Canal, a system designed to carry precious water from the Jordan River to farms west of the river.

The canal segment at 4400 South and 3600 West remains a visible link to this past. This open, earthen channel, about three meters wide and two meters deep, continues to flow beneath 3600 West through a sturdy concrete box culvert. Just east of the road, a concrete division box fitted with a steel headgate still allows watermasters to regulate the flow. Where the lateral ditch becomes piped, a metal grate prevents debris from clogging the waterway—a reminder that even with historic roots, the canal adapted to meet modern needs.

For generations, this canal supplied life-giving water to the fields and orchards that blanketed the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. Canals like this one transformed the desert into productive farmland, sustaining families, livestock, and crops for over a century.

Today, while much of the farmland has given way to post–World War II neighborhoods, the canal remains an enduring feature of the community’s landscape. It stands as both a practical waterway and a living monument to the perseverance and ingenuity of Utah’s early settlers.