An integrated approach to understanding the physical and chemical characteristics of Great Salt Lake, Utah

Project Number: 97169CO
Cooperating Agency: Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Resources
Project Chief: David Naftz, USGS Salt Lake City, Utah
Project Period: 2003-2006

Problem: Basic hydrologic data and information on limnological processes operating in Great Salt Lake are largely lacking. Until the last two decades there was little concern about the Lake by the public at large. Today there exists a need for a better understanding of the physical and chemical characteristics of the lake, how the lake functions, and how man is impacting these characteristics and functions.

Objectives: (1) Define the physical constraints, circulation, and mixing rates of Great Salt Lake; (2) determine the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous species) budget; and (3) quantify the occurrence and distribution of anthropogenic heavy metals, trace elements, and synthetic organic compounds.

Relevance and Benefits: This study will address the needs of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, while also fulfilling the USGS mission and relevancy as defined in the Strategic Plan for the U.S. Geological Survey. Specific USGS business activities addressed in the study will include water availability and quality and contaminated environments.

Approach: The study is part of a larger, long-term, multi-discipline, cooperative study designed to (1) define the physical constraints, circulation, and mixing rates of Great Salt Lake; (2) determine the nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorous species) budget of the lake, and (3) quantify the occurrence and distribution of anthropogenic heavy metals, trace elements, and synthetic organic compounds in the lake.
The first year of work includes collection and analysis of depth and position data to generate a detailed bathymetric map of the south part of the lake, initial major ion and nutrient sampling, and reconnaissance-phase sampling for stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon. Research during ensuing years will be determined by the results of current research and analyses.

Products: Data collected and results of program research are reported to cooperating agencies quarterly during the program’s quarterly Technical Advisory Group review meetings. Periodically study results are documented in USGS reports and journal articles. Most recently the map publication “Bathymetric map of the south part of Great Salt Lake, Utah” Scientific Investigations Map 2894, by Baskin, R.L., and Allen, D.V was published along an accompanying Open-File Report “Calculation of Area and Volume for the South Part of Great Salt Lake, Utah” OFR-2005-1327, by Robert L. Baskin.

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