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Bear Lake Water Quality Data Visualizations

February 4, 2022

Access Bear Lake water quality data visualizations from tabs above.

Displaying water-quality data with depth over time at a single location has always presented a challenge. These data visualizations were developed by Katherine Jones of the USGS Office of Quality Assurance as a response to that issue. 

Seven water-quality parameters are monitored and plotted with depth over time for two locations on Bear Lake each season. Data is sent through cellular service at specific intervals to the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS), where it is stored. The stored data is then reviewed, consolidated, and pushed to interactive data visualizations weekly.

Site 5401 is a long-term monitoring site and is the only site that has been monitored every season that the water-quality platforms have been launched. All other sites show the mooring location of the second water-quality platform during the four successive seasons.

Satellite image of Bear Lake Utah-Idaho, rotated so north is to the left, showing locations of water-quality platforms.
NASA satellite image of Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho, showing general locations of water-quality monitoring sites.

 

Instructions for using Interactive Data Visualizations

  1. View general location.
  2. Select water-quality parameter of interest from tabs at top of page.
  3. Select date range by changing dates directly in end boxes or by sliding tabs across time range.
  4. Hover over a point on the color plot to see specifics for any date and time.
  5. Go to the USGS NWIS database to view or download data by clicking in the box above the color plot.
  6. Return to the main Bear Lake webpage by clicking in the box above the color plot.
  7. Return to this page using the back arrow in your browser.
Information for navigating color plots representing Bear Lake water-quality data
Informational illustration showing navigational features on color plots for Bear Lake water-quality data.