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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

Groundwater Watch has been discontinued. Access groundwater data from "Water Data for Utah" in the Quick Links until a replacement app is developed.

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Quick Links

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

Tracking geomorphic changes after suburban development with a high density of green stormwater infrastructure practices in Montgomery County, Maryland

Stream morphology is affected by changes on the surrounding landscape. Understanding the effects of urbanization on stream morphology is a critical factor for land managers to maintain and improve vulnerable stream corridors in urbanizing landscapes. Stormwater practices are used in urban landscapes to manage runoff volumes and peak flows, potentially mitigating alterations to the flow regime that
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Water Resources, Chesapeake Bay Activities, New Jersey Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Utah Water Science Center

Seismostratigraphic analysis of Lake Cahuilla sedimentation cycles and fault displacement history beneath the Salton Sea, California, USA

The Salton Trough (southeastern California, USA) is the northernmost transtensional stepover of the Gulf of California oblique-divergent plate boundary and is also where the southern terminus of the San Andreas fault occurs. Until recently, the distribution of active faults in and around the Salton Sea and their displacement histories were largely unknown. Subbottom CHIRP (compressed high-intensit
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Water Resources, Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center, Utah Water Science Center

Addressing stakeholder science needs for integrated drought science in the Colorado River Basin

Stakeholders need scientific data, analysis, and predictions of how drought the will impact the Colorado River Basin in a format that is continuously updated, intuitive, and easily accessible. The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology Pilot Project was formed to demonstrate the effectiveness of addressing complex problems through stakeholder involvement an
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Ecosystems, Water Resources, Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Washington Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Science

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Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Actionable Science

The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project is exploring new approaches for the USGS to answer complex earth systems questions identified in partnership with stakeholders, which cannot be answered through a single discipline approach. Science coproduction is a method where scientists, managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders first identify specific decisions to be informed by science, and then...
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Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Actionable Science

The Colorado River Basin Pilot Project is exploring new approaches for the USGS to answer complex earth systems questions identified in partnership with stakeholders, which cannot be answered through a single discipline approach. Science coproduction is a method where scientists, managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders first identify specific decisions to be informed by science, and then...
Learn More
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Image Collage of Landsat, pollinator, and volcanologist

Integrated Science Approach

The USGS has a long history of delivering science and tools to help decision-makers manage and mitigate effects of drought. The timing is critical for the USGS to consolidate its diverse expertise into a single landscape-scale effort to rapidly provide integrated transdisciplinary, targeted data, tools, and models required by decision makers in the Basin. This initiative unifies USGS expertise...
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Arizona Water Science Center, California Water Science Center, Colorado Water Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Nevada Water Science Center, New Mexico Water Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center, Utah Water Science Center, Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center
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Integrated Science Approach

The USGS has a long history of delivering science and tools to help decision-makers manage and mitigate effects of drought. The timing is critical for the USGS to consolidate its diverse expertise into a single landscape-scale effort to rapidly provide integrated transdisciplinary, targeted data, tools, and models required by decision makers in the Basin. This initiative unifies USGS expertise...
Learn More
link
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...
Learn More
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