Utah Water Science Center
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The Utah Water Science Center priority is to continue the important work of the Department of the Interior and the USGS, while also maintaining the health and safety of our employees and community. Based on guidance from the White House, the CDC, and state and local authorities, we are shifting our operations to a virtual mode and have minimal staffing within our offices.
National Water Dashboard
Use this interactive map to access water information and weather conditions. Legend available in the top right corner of map.
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News
Great Salt Lake Reaches New Historic Low
The southern portion of the Great Salt Lake is at a new historic low, with average daily water levels dropping about an inch below the previous record set in 1963, according to U.S. Geological Survey information collected at the SaltAir gauge location.
Great Salt Lake May Reach Historic Low Soon
The southern portion of the Great Salt Lake is just a couple inches above the historic low measurement taken in 1963, according to U.S. Geological Survey streamgage information collected at the SaltAir gauge location.
Large Decreases in Upper Colorado River Salinity Since 1929
Salinity levels in the Upper Colorado River Basin, which covers portions of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, have steadily decreased since 1929, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study analyzing decades of water-quality measurements.
Publications
Substantial declines in salinity observed across the Upper Colorado River Basin during the 20th century, 1929 to 2019
Salinity in the Colorado River Basin causes an estimated $300 to $400 million per year in economic damages in the U.S. To inform and improve salinity‐control efforts, this study quantifies long‐term trends in salinity (dissolved solids) across the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB), including time periods prior to the construction of large dams and...
Rumsey, Christine; Miller, Olivia L.; Hirsch, Robert; Marston, Thomas M.; Susong, David Continental-scale analysis of shallow and deep groundwater contributions to streams
Groundwater discharge generates streamflow and influences stream thermal regimes. However, the water quality and thermal buffering capacity of groundwater depends on the aquifer source-depth. Here, we pair multi-year air and stream temperature signals to categorize 1729 sites across the continental United States as having major dam influence,...
Hare, D.; Helton, A. M.; Johnson, Zachary C.; Lane, Jr., John W.; Briggs, Martin A.
Groundwater management process simulations using an updated version of the three-dimensional numerical model of groundwater flow in northern Utah Valley, Utah County, Utah
Groundwater is a primary source of drinking water in northern Utah County. The groundwater system is recharged mainly from precipitation in the adjacent Wasatch Mountains and infiltration of streamflow. In 2004, groundwater withdrawals were estimated to be roughly 44,500 acre-feet per year. In 2016, groundwater withdrawals were estimated to be...
Stolp, Bernard J.; Brooks, Lynette E.