The lake's three major tributaries, the Jordan, Weber, and Bear rivers together deposit around 1.1million tons of minerals in the lake per year. Water surface elevation measured by this gage is representative of the portion of GSL north of the railroad causeway. Available Parameters Period of Record; All 1 Available Parameters for this site : 62614 Elevation, lake/res, NGVD29(Mean), elevation: 1966-04-15 : 2023-07-02: Output format Graph Graph w/ stats Graph w/ (up to 3) parms Table Stansbury Island and Strongs Knob remain peninsulas unless the water level rises well-above the average. The low lake levels are due to recent trends in precipitation and long-term trends in consumption by humans. Great Salt Lake Elevations | U.S. Geological Survey - USGS.gov Oil seeps in the area had been known since the late 19th century, and attempts at production began in 1904. At its maximum extent 18,000 years ago, it was 20,000 square miles in area and more than a thousand feet deep, covering much of western Utah and extending into Idaho and Nevada. USGS Currently, water can move through the causeway Great Salt Lake | Location, Description, Map, History, & Facts The north part of the lake has been monitored since April 1966 via USGS Station 10010100, locatednorthwest of Saline, Utah. Policies and Notices, U.S. Department of the Interior | Historically, the surface elevation has averaged around 4,200 feet and covered an area of about 1,700 square miles. Page Contact Information: Utah Water Data Support Team A weir in the dike at the southern end of the Newfoundland Mountains regulated the level of water in the basin and it sometimes returned salty water from the evaporation basin into the main body of the Great Salt Lake. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Colorful, mineral-rich salt flats are nestled between the Promontory Mountains and the Great Salt Lake. [81] The second Saltair included a fun house and a dancing venue. [3][4] Continued shrinkage could turn the lake into a bowl of toxic dust, poisoning the air around Salt Lake City.[5]. made at various locations on the southern end of GSL have been combined such that this gage is Dolphin Island, Cub Island, and Strongs Knob are in the northwestern arm. Tyson will stop using its 'no antibiotics ever' label on chicken, Joey Chestnut eats 62 hot dogs for 16th Nathan's hot dog eating contest title, Doctor Who was right about time being 'wibbly wobbly,' researcher says, Popular Zion trail open again but remains 'no walk in the park,' rangers say. The precipitation in the watershed was above normal for the water year beginning on October 1, 2016. The study also showed that Great Salt Lake differs in elevation between its southern and northern parts, as the former is 15-61 centimeters higher than the latter. Decline of the world's saline lakes | Nature Geoscience Water Science That means being more efficient with irrigation water and cutting back on water waste, if not reforming the entire water regulation system. On December 1, 2016, the opening of a new 180-foot-long (55m) bridge allowed water to flow from the southern arm of the lake into the north-west arm. If the salinity drops near 5% to 6%, the cysts will lose buoyancy and sink, making them more difficult to harvest.[57]. In late July 2021, the Great Salt Lake in Utah reached its lowest water level on record, and it has continued dropping since then. Daily. We could go back into a cycle where were struggling again with the lake.. The Utah Department of Natural Resources said that the Great Salt Lake dipped down to 4,190.1ft (1,277.1 meters) July 3, 2022. The ionic composition is similar to seawater, much more so than the Dead Sea's water; compared to the ocean, the Great Salt Lake's waters are slightly enriched in potassium and depleted in calcium. [69], Great Salt Lake contributes an estimated $1.3billion annually to Utah's economy,[19] including $1.1billion from industry (primarily mineral extraction), $136million from recreation, and $57million from the harvest of brine shrimp. [60], Although brine shrimp can be found in the arm of the lake north of the causeway, studies conducted by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources indicate that these are likely transient. The matrix takes all these elevation ranges into consideration, identifying a range where the industries, cities and environment around the Great Salt Lake are sustained. and may [37], Because of its high salt concentration, the lake water is unusually dense, and most people can float more easily than in other bodies of water, particularly in Gunnison Bay, the saltier north arm of the lake. ", "WHALE OF A SALTY TALE SWIMS THROUGH PAGES OF OLD PAPER", Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Great_Salt_Lake&oldid=1160450067, Articles containing Shoshoni-language text, Articles using infobox body of water without alt, Articles using infobox body of water without image bathymetry, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2023, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, 16ft (4.9m), when lake is at average level, 33ft (10m) average, high of 45ft (14m) in 1987, low of 24ft (7.3m) in 2021, historical average of 4,200 feet (1,300m), 4,190.5 feet (1,277.3m) as of 2022 March 14, This page was last edited on 16 June 2023, at 15:00. The Utah Division of Water Resources credits the project with "over one-third of that decline". (Landsat also acquired images of the southern end of the lake during a similar dry spell in 2016.). Map of Lake Bonneville Genevieve Atwood Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994 The Great Salt Lake is the latest in a long succession of often more extensive lakes that have occupied the basin of Great Salt Lake over the past several million years. Since the Great Salt Lake is a shallow lake with gently sloping shores around all edges except on the south side, small variations in the water level greatly affect the extent of the shoreline. Emergency measures needed to rescue Great Salt Lake from ongoing collapse The Great Shrinking Lake - NASA Earth Observatory The causeway obstructed the normal mixing of the waters of the lake, because there were only three 100-foot (30m) breaches. The lake is one of Utah's largest tourist attractions. Great Salt Lake | History to Go [3][32], Most of the salts dissolved in the lake and deposited in the desert flats around it reflect the concentration of solutes by evaporation; Lake Bonneville itself was fresh enough to support populations of fish. The lake, over the past three decades, typically entered July at about 4,197.6 feet elevation. Wind events can cause flow reversals where water flows from Monitors lake elevation in the south arm and is located in the GSL Marina harbor, at the Location: Great Salt Lake, Utah, United States (40.66900 -113.00741 41.68375 -111.93021). The construction of a 180-foot-long (55m) bridge created an opening of the causeway for water to flow between the arms of the lake. This, he said, is a good practice not just to help the Great Salt Lake, but to help stretch out the states water supply through other dry spells that may develop in the future. As the cold north and north-west winds blow across the . The lake's levels are expected to slide more this summer because of two factors outlined in a report issued by the Great Salt Lake Strike Team in February. It is a terminal basin, which means the water that pours into the lake from rivers and streams has no outlet other than evaporation. [35] The lake is deepest in the area between these island chains, measured by Howard Stansbury in 1850 at about 35 feet (11 meters) deep, and an average depth of 13 feet (four meters). The winter outlook will be a bit clearer closer to November, which is when the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center releases its long-range forecast for the season. For comparison, a fish consumption advisory was issued at the Florida Everglades after water there was found to contain 1 nanogram per liter. How much did Utah's record snowpack help the Great Salt Lake? The winter outlook will be a bit clearer closer to November, which is when the National Weather Services Climate Prediction Center releases its long-range forecast for the season. General, No "(The lake's rise) is good news, but we're not out of the woods, at all," he said. Image of the Day In a white paper released in 2016, scientists noted that river flow into the basinfrom the Bear, Jordan, and Weber rivershas dropped 39 percent since the middle of the 19th century. By J. Wallace Gwynn. They are fed to prawns in Asia,[49] sold as novelty "Sea-Monkeys," sold either live or dehydrated in pet stores as a fish food, and used in testing of toxins, drugs, and other chemicals. Great Salt Lake - Wikipedia Due to the lake's shallowness, the water level can fall and rise dramatically during dry years or high-precipitation years, thereby reflecting prolonged drought or wet periods. How much did Utah's record snowpack help the Great Salt Lake? Escalante had been on the shores of Utah Lake, which he named Laguna Timpanogos. In 2016, 48% of the lakebed was exposed (Wurtsbaugh et al. [32], Categorically stating the number of islands is difficult, as the method used to determine what is an island is not necessarily the same in each source. With the warming climate, the remaining lake began to dry, leaving the Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Sevier Lake, and Rush Lake behind. There are twenty-seven private duck clubs, seven state waterfowl management areas, and a large federal bird refuge on the Great Salt Lake's shores. The route is now owned and operated by Union Pacific. Center, USGS The area of the lake can fluctuate substantially due to its low average depth of 16 feet (4.9m). Some data included on this graph are Lake Characteristics Matrix The matrix below shows a summary of resource characteristics at different lake elevation levels. bridge near Antelope Island. During summer, the temperature differences can cause thunderstorms to form over the lake and drift eastward along the northern Wasatch Front. One of the local Shoshone tribes, the Western Goshute tribe, referred to the lake as Pi'a-pa, meaning "big water", or Ti'tsa-pa, meaning "bad water".[11][12]. USGS conducted bathymetric surveys of the north and south parts of Great Salt Lake in the early 2000s. It has been stated that this does not pose a risk to other recreational users of the lake. Editor's note: This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake. Bathymetric maps and area-volume tables associated with this effort were published and are available via the following links. Local experts believe this winter tacked on two additional years to a grim forecast that the lake would reach levels so low that its ecosystem will essentially die off in five years. Its highly productive food web supports millions of migratory birds and the economic value of the lake is estimated at $1.5 billion US dollars in 2019. Great Salt Lake - 5,000 km2 - Facts, Map, Activities - Lakepedia We still need to be thinking about the lake. About 4 The northern arm of the lake has a much higher salinity, to the point that the native brine shrimp cannot survive in its waters. Nature 10 October 2022 By Carly Cassella Dropping water levels in the Great Salt Lake. It would be a mistake for all of us to think 'everything's great now.'". Effects of a century of mining and industrial production on metal contamination of a model saline ecosystem, Great Salt Lake, Utah. topographic map, elevation, terrain. 2017). [74] The oil field at Rozel Point produced an estimated 10,000 barrels (1,600m3) of oil from 30 to 50 wells, but has been inactive since the mid-1980s. They improved the site by adding an array of bathhouses, a restaurant, and other amenities, including a bowling alley. Name: Great Salt Lake topographic map, elevation, terrain. Flight Center, NASA Earth Observatory (2016, November 3). via an engineered breach and to a lesser extent through the rock-fill causeway material. Mean daily value. Great Salt Lake ties historic low set nearly 60 years ago Due to the warmth of the water in Great Salt Lake, lake-effect snowfalls can be seen frequently. Dates Dates back to 1949. It's also 6 feet below its historic average of about 4,200 feet, which Parrott refers to as the "sweet spot" when it comes to a healthy lake ecosystem. The causeway for the Lucin Cutoff divides the lake into two parts. Because no rivers, except a few minor streams, flow directly into the north-west arm, Gunnison Bay, it is substantially saltier than the rest of the lake. The brine flies have an estimated population of over one hundred billion and serve as the main source of food for many of the birds which migrate to the lake. One year later, the lake is starting to decline again but it's undoubtedly in a much-better place than it was those 12 months ago. NASA Goddard Space [64] The extremely high methylmercury concentrations have been only in the lake's anoxic deep brine layer (monimolimnion) below a depth of 20 feet (6.1m), but concentrations are also moderately high up in the water column where there is oxygen to support brine shrimp and brine flies. It's enough to refill parts of the lake but hasn't completely stopped storms from blowing dust into communities lining the lakeshore. Map, Contact It is estimated that approximately six to eight lake effect snowstorms occur in a year, and that 10% of the average precipitation of Salt Lake City can be attributed to the lake effect. The volume of water in Great Salt Lake has shrunk by 48 percent and the lake level has fallen 3.4 meters (11 feet) since 1847. The eye-catching colors of the lake stem from the fact that Great Salt Lake is hypersaline, typically 35 times saltier than the ocean, and the high salinities support sets of plants and animals that affect the light-absorbing qualities of the water. The finding of high mercury levels prompted further studies,[65] and a health advisory warning hunters not to eat common goldeneye or northern shoveler, two species of duck found in the lake. This doesnt mean much in terms of precipitation in Utah because it normally experiences winter extremes no matter what the oceanic pattern is. At the time of opening of the causeway, the north-west arm was nearly 3 feet (90cm) lower than the southern arm. ", "Resorts flourished at Great Salt Lake during the 1800s", "The Steamboat Era Was Glamorous But Very Brief in Utah", "Pink Water, White Salt Crystals, Black Boulders, and the Return of, "What are the round, white sand grains that make up the beaches? The Great Shrinking Lake. Stansbury also published a formal report of his survey work which became very popular. Estimated read time: 5-6 By April 2017, the levels of both arms of the lake had risen due to spring runoff, and the north-western arm was within 1 foot (30cm) of the southern arm. North of the causeway, the lake is dominated by Dunaliella salina, a species of algae which releases beta-carotene, and the bacteria-like haloarchaea,[59] which together give the water an unusual reddish or purplish color. Great Salt Lake at Saltair Boat Harbor, UT - USGS Water Data for the Nation Important Legacy real-time page 7 days 30 days 1 year Great Salt Lake at Saltair Boat Harbor, UT - 10010000 June 21, 2023 - June 28, 2023 Lake or reservoir water surface elevation above NGVD 1929, ft 4193.9 ft - Jun 28, 2023 02:45:00 AM MDT The Great Salt Lake's annual average surface elevation, as of the year 2000, is about 4,196 feet above sea level. National Water Information System, DOI Privacy [67], A study in 2010 suggested that the main source of the mercury is from atmospheric deposition from worldwide industry, rather than local sources. Gaging Station 10010000. Minerals extracted from the lake include: sodium chloride (common salt), used in water softeners, salt lick blocks for livestock, and to melt ice on local roadways (food-grade salt is not produced from the lake, as it would require costly processing to ensure its purity); potassium sulfate, used as a commercial fertilizer; and magnesium-chloride brine, used in the production of magnesium metal, chlorine gas, and as a dust suppressant. [18] About 15 trains cross the 20mi (32km) causeway each day. Historic water surface elevation measurements [19] There were concerns from the brine shrimp harvesting industry that the conditions in the southern arm of the lake were becoming too saline for the brine shrimp, following several years of lower precipitation in the lake's watershed. Because of the Great Salt Lake's high salinity, it has few fish, but they do occur in Bear River Bay and Farmington Bay when spring runoff brings fresh water into the lake. A sharp line across its center is caused by the restriction in water flow from the railroad causeway. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. The lake is divided by a causeway for the Union Pacific Railroad. Great Salt Lake reaches new historic low. Dates back to 1963. National Water Information System. His report of the area included a discussion of Mormon religious practices based on Stansbury's interaction with the Mormon community in Great Salt Lake City, which had been established three years earlier in 1847. The additional water allowed the levels of both arms of the lake to rise,[32] creating better conditions for a healthy brine shrimp population. * We've detected you're using a mobile device. Its enough to refill parts of the lake buthasnt completely stopped storms from blowing dust into communities lining the lakeshore. SALT LAKE CITY The Great Salt Lake's water levels fell to an all-time record low for the second-consecutive time a year ago this week. upstream from GSL. [citation needed], In the two bays that receive most of the lake's freshwater inflows, Bear River Bay and Farmington Bay, the diversity of organisms is much higher. What we need to think about is that we all need to do our part to reduce overwater consumption.. Cold north, north-west, or west winds generally blow across the lake following the passage of a cold front, and the temperature difference between the warm lake and the cool air can form clouds that lead to precipitation downwind of the lake. This allows salts and minerals to concentrate in the lake such that it is three to five times saltier than the ocean. Utah's reservoir capacity soars past 80%. the "The long-term . GSL into Farmington Bay. "It's a typical thing now that we're going to start really heating up," he said, noting that increases in temperature could possibly put the lake at "suboptimal" levels by the end of the year. The lake likely needs another three prolific winters to really get back to that "sweet spot," Parrott said, with a nervous chuckle. How much did Utahs record snowpack help the Great Salt Lake? Lake-effect Precipitation. Executive summary. It is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric body of water that covered much of western Utah. [8] The Jordan flows from the north part of Utah Lake into the south-east corner of the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake (Shoshone: Ti'tsa-pa Bad Water[1]) is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere[2] and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. In time, "Timpanogos" was dropped from the maps and its original association with Utah Lake was forgotten. The State of Utah is faced with the task of . Great Salt Lake Minerals Company (a subsidiary of Compass Minerals) extracts minerals from the northern bay. [21], Although the pumps are no longer in use, they have been kept in place in case the level of the Great Salt Lake ever rises that high again. Water Great Salt Lake (GSL) covers 5500 km 2 (2100 mi 2) at its unimpacted elevation and is the eighth largest saline lake in the world. The first Saltair pavilion was destroyed by fire on April 22, 1925. [13] The Great Salt Lake entered written history through the records of Silvestre Vlez de Escalante, who learned of its existence from the Timpanogos Utes in 1776. Data are from the The Antelope Island marina at the Great Salt Lake on June 5. The Jordan River does not receive its water directly from the Uintas; rather, it flows from freshwater Utah Lake, which itself is fed primarily by the Provo River. With this weeks historic low, it spans about 950 square miles, a 44 percent loss of surface area. The lake has fluctuated greatly in size, depending on the rates of evaporation and the flow of the rivers that feed it. The lake is divided by a causeway for the Union Pacific Railroad. Human Presence The construction of a 180-foot-long (55m) bridge created an opening of the causeway for water to flow between the arms of the lake. USGS Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper USGS This species occurs in Utah today, though apparently no longer on the islands of the Great Salt Lake.[56]. It now sits at 4,191.8 feet, and state resource managers expect it will rise. Utah's Great Salt Lake Is Drying Out - Smithsonian Magazine In March, a few guano sifters arrived to harvest and sell the guano of the nesting birds as fertilizer. It's far too early to know what's in store next winter, other than it's more likely than not that North America will have an El Nio winter after the past three consecutive La Nia winters. Commonly Asked Questions About Utah's Great Salt Lake & Lake Bonneville Rising and lowering water levels have affected each iteration.[80]. It found consumptive use accounted for anywhere from 67% to 73% of the lakes decline, while direct evaporation accounted for another 8% to 11% of the lakes water loss, over time. be revised. Jones & Wurtsbaugh. The Great Salt Lake differs in elevation between the south and north parts. The previous low was set in 1963. [20] In total, the pumps removed 2,730,000 acre-feet (3.37km3) of water while they operated. Space Station astronauts have recorded the decline in lake levels in response to a regional 5-year drought taking both detailed views and broad views of the entire lake. The lake is up by about 3.3 feet since it bottomed out at record low of 4,188.5 feet above sea level in November. No, the Great Salt Lake won't fill this year - The Salt Lake Tribune Current - Utah Geological Survey Local experts believe this wintertacked on two additional yearstoa grim forecastthat the lake would reach levels so low that its ecosystem will essentially die off in five years. The lake entered this week at 4,193.8 feet elevation at the Great Salt Lake State Park marina, more than 3 feet above lake levels this time last year and 5 feet above the officially recognized . Go to elevation gages from links below to see current conditions. Lambourne left the island early in the winter of 1896 along with the first group of guano sifters. Its surface area has varied . By combining USGS data with other data sources, a water-surface elevation record dating back to 1847 is associated with USGS Station 10010000, a gage in the Saltair Boat Harbor, at the southern end of the lake. Coordinates: 4110N 11232W The Great Salt Lake ( Shoshone: Ti'tsa-pa "Bad Water" [1]) is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere [2] and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. Salt Lake City | History, Population, & Facts | Britannica . portion of GSL south of the railroad causeway. A Lake Divided - Utah Geological Survey Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. [44], The Great Salt Lake differs in elevation between the south and north parts. It is the largest saline lake in the country and the eighth-largest in the world (by area). Great Salt Lake topographic map, elevation, terrain Dates back to 2003. When full to its historic average level of 4,200 feet (1280 meters), the lake spreads across 1,700 square miles. It gained about 5 feet above the all-time record low before its gains began to level off. It's expected to drop below the record in the coming days. In its August 12 report, the U.S. Drought Monitor noted that 100 percent of Utah was experiencing at least severe drought; 50 percent of the state was in exceptional drought, the highest category. The Union Pacific Railroad causeway completed in 1959, essentially divides the lake into two parts. Click on a map to view its topography, its elevation and its terrain. The change in the level of lake level is strongly modulated by the Pacific Ocean through atmospheric circulations that fluctuate at low frequency. Editors note: This article is published through the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late. [38] Dissolved ions do not necessarily increase or decrease in step with changes of total dissolved solids. The lake entered this week at 4,193.8 feet elevation at the Great Salt Lake State Park marina, more than 3 feet above lake levels this time last year and 5 feet above the officially recognized new record-low of 4,188.6 feet set in November,according to U.S. Geological Survey data. [31] The lake level change is strongly modulated by Pacific Ocean-coupled ocean/atmospheric oscillations at low frequency and therefore reflects the decadal-scale wet/dry cycles that characterize the region. The lake entered this week at 4,193.8 feet elevation at the Great Salt Lake State Park marina, more than 3 feet above lake levels this time last year and 5 feet above the officially recognized . This, he said, is a good practice not just to help the Great Salt Lake, but to help stretch out the state's water supply through other dry spells that may develop in the future. "I would say that we're close to max, maybe starting to go down just a little bit on sort of that downward slope.". Title: USGS Surface-Water Daily Data for the Nation About a mile [52] Wetland/wildlife management areas include the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge; Gillmor Sanctuary; Great Salt Lake Shore lands Preserve; Salt Creek, Public Shooting Grounds, Harold Crane, Locomotive Springs, Ogden Bay, Timpie Springs, and Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Areas. From November 1895 to March 1896, he was alone. The cysts will hatch at 2 to 3% salinity, but the greatest productivity is at salinities above about 10%. The causeway for the Lucin Cutoff divides the lake into two parts. Gage locations are shown on the map. southern end of GSL. the day before. Great Salt Lake water levels - Utah [59] Populations of brine shrimp are mostly restricted to the lake's south arm. Morton Salt, Cargill Salt, Broken Arrow Salt and the Renco Group's U.S. Magnesium each extract minerals from the southern bay and could benefit from a more natural mixture of water between the two sides of the lake. The Great Salt Lake, depleted by drought, hits its lowest water level in recorded history. [30] The Utah Climate Center provides prediction of the Great Salt Lake's annual lake level. One year later, the lake is starting to decline again but its undoubtedly in a much-better place than it was those 12 months ago. This could be reduced if more cloudy days develop over the lake, as what happened in May and June, which would reduce solar radiation. provisional National Water Information System: Web Interface, Add up to 2 more sites and replot for "Lake or reservoir water surface elevation above NGVD 1929, feet, elevation", Accessibility