NACD Tour Resources

A group of kids looking for the fabled Great Salt Lake Monster encounters tiny baby monsters (brine flies), monster food (brine shrimp), giant furry creatures (bison), the ridges of the monster's back (microbialites), pooids and much more!

This is part two of our exploration of the working waterscape and landscapes of Great Salt Lake. In this episode, we turn to farming. Farms across the watershed grow alfalfa, fruits, vegetables and raise livestock for meat and dairy that eventually end up on grocery store shelves. These farms use about 80% of the water that is diverted from the Bear, Weber and Jordan Rivers, Great Salt Lake's tributaries. We talk with farmers in Cache Valley about the challenges they face and pathways forward to stay in the Great Salt Lake Basin that work for both farmers and the lake. One major theme: let's localize and reconnect with our food.

The USGS Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper provides comprehensive hydrologic data for the Great Salt Lake (GSL), including discharge from major inflows like the Bear, Weber, and Jordan Rivers, and lake surface elevations for the north and south arms, with records dating back to 1847. It highlights the lake's economic significance, supporting industries such as mineral extraction and tourism, and its social value for recreation and research, while noting the impact of lake level changes on activities like boating. Safety concerns, such as flooding risks at GSL Marina above 4,210 feet and navigation hazards below 4,198 feet, are addressed, alongside ecological impacts on high and low fringe wetlands, which face inundation or desiccation depending on water levels. This tool is essential for understanding the lake's hydrologic, economic, and ecological dynamics, aiding stakeholders and researchers in managing its resources and challenges.