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Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper is Available

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Great Salt Lake Falls Below 2021 Low

July 3, 2022

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Great Salt Lake from Elephant Head

Learn More about Lake Elevations and Studies

The Wasatch Front

...the populated corridor along the western side of the Wasatch Mountains

History of Lake Powell Written in Sediment

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Lake Powell's Current Storage Capacity

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Groundwater Conditions in Utah

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Bear Lake Water Quality

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Utah Water Science Center

Welcome to the USGS Utah Water Science Center webpage. We collaborate with many partners to monitor, assess, conduct targeted research, and deliver information on a wide range of water resources. Explore some of our work through these pages.  

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Water Dashboard

Thumbnail image of the National Water Dashboard showing UT only

Access real-time stream, lake, reservoir, and groundwater information, and more.

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Groundwater Watch

Map of Utah showing groundwater monitoring sites

Access Utah groundwater monitoring network through interactive map or by county lists.

Water Level Network

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UT Streams & Lakes

News

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New one-stop shop webpage for all things Great Salt Lake

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Great Salt Lake Level Falls Below Historic Low Measured in October 2021

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History of Lake Powell Written in Sediment

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Publications

Ephemeral stream network extraction from lidar-derived elevation and topographic attributes in urban and forested landscapes

Under-representations of headwater channels in digital stream networks can result in uncertainty in the magnitude of headwater habitat loss, stream burial, and watershed function. Increased availability of high-resolution (
By
Water Resources, Utah Water Science Center

Sedimentary record of annual-decadal timescale reservoir dynamics: Anthropogenic stratigraphy of Lake Powell, Utah, U.S.A.

The tributaries of Lake Powell were impounded following construction of Glen Canyon Dam, resulting in deposition of reservoir sediment over a ∼650 km2 area since 1963. These units have been exposed through erosion as water storage in Lake Powell has decreased since 2000. This anthropogenic sedimentary record reflects the complex interplay among wet and dry periods of Colorado River runoff and the r
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Water Resources, Utah Water Science Center

Elevation-area-capacity relationships of Lake Powell in 2018 and estimated loss of storage capacity since 1963

Lake Powell is the second largest constructed water reservoir by storage capacity in the United States and represents a critical component in management of water resources in the Colorado River Basin. The reservoir provides hydroelectric power generation at Glen Canyon Dam, banks water storage for the Upper Colorado River Basin, stabilizes water commitments downstream, and buffers the Lower Colora
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Water Resources, Utah Water Science Center
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Science

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View of Lake Powell from hill, USGS boat beached on shore below looks tiny.

New study confirms loss of storage capacity in Lake Powell

Beginning in 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, completed topobathymetric surveys of Lake Powell for the first update of elevation-area-capacity relationships since 1986. The recent report presents results of these surveys and comparisons with estimates from previous surveys. Current storage capacity at full pool (3702.91 feet above NAVD 88) is 25,160...
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Utah Water Science Center
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New study confirms loss of storage capacity in Lake Powell

Beginning in 2017, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, completed topobathymetric surveys of Lake Powell for the first update of elevation-area-capacity relationships since 1986. The recent report presents results of these surveys and comparisons with estimates from previous surveys. Current storage capacity at full pool (3702.91 feet above NAVD 88) is 25,160...
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Purging a well in southern Utah.

Groundwater Conditions in Utah

Since 1964, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality have cooperatively published an annual report describing groundwater conditions in Utah. The annual paper reports provided data that enabled interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions...
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Utah Water Science Center
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Groundwater Conditions in Utah

Since 1964, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Water Rights, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Quality have cooperatively published an annual report describing groundwater conditions in Utah. The annual paper reports provided data that enabled interested parties to maintain awareness of changing groundwater conditions...
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Great Salt Lake, old staff plate

Great Salt Lake Elevations

Great Salt Lake Elevations The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has been collecting water-surface-elevation data from Great Salt Lake since 1875 and continuously since October 1902. The north part of the lake has been monitored since April 1966. On July 3, 2022, the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake dropped 0.1 feet below the October 2021 historic low average daily elevation of 4,190.2...
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Utah Water Science Center
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Great Salt Lake Elevations

Great Salt Lake Elevations The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has been collecting water-surface-elevation data from Great Salt Lake since 1875 and continuously since October 1902. The north part of the lake has been monitored since April 1966. On July 3, 2022, the southern portion of the Great Salt Lake dropped 0.1 feet below the October 2021 historic low average daily elevation of 4,190.2...
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