Southern Great Salt Lake Desert
Watershed Hydrology
The southern Great Salt Lake Desert watershed (HUC 16020306) covers an area of approximately 4,875 square miles in western Utah. The hydrology of the watershed is dominated by the Great Salt Lake and its tributaries. The snowpack in the area is highly variable, with some years experiencing heavy snowfall and others experiencing little to no snow. Surface water is limited to the Great Salt Lake and its tributaries, which are highly saline due to evaporation and inflow from agricultural runoff. The reservoir constituents in the area are primarily minerals and salts, including magnesium, potassium, and sodium. Interesting climatic facts and trends in the area include its location in a semi-arid zone, which experiences hot summers and cold winters, and an increase in average temperatures over the past several decades.