Management of the Great Salt Lake: A Research Plan and Strategy

Management of the Great Salt Lake: A Research Plan and Strategy - Page 18

Table 1. Identification of problems associated with possible uses of Great Salt Lake. MAIN LAKE Possible use Desired system char­acteristic related to use Some possible methods of achieving the desired system characteristic Areas which may be negatively influenced by implementation of the method ( impact areas) Some social use areas which may be affected Information needed to understand the system characteristic or areas of influence I. Lake Brine Industry System A. Mineral extrac­tion industries 1. Access to high TDSa a. Use north arm brines brine concentration b. Limit or control ex­traction c. Use deep south arm brines d. Breach the R. R. causeway 2. Good ionic makeup 3. Minimal high water damage to dikes and other facilities a. Limit or control extrac­tion of specific ions a. Control high water levels 1. Upstream storage 2. Pump to west desert Higher cost to south arm salt producers M. E. Industries will be limited in extraction or expansion Higher cost to salt producer Construction cost Alters the salinity conditions of both the north and south arm same as I. A. l. b. M. E. Industries M. E. Industries M. E. Industries Transportation Brine shrimp M. E. Industries Change the nature of the stream Floods land and may eliminate the present uses of the land Wildlife, Recreation Wildlife, Department of Defense aTDS is total dissolved solids. Cost to pump or relocate plants vs. benefits. Micro­climate of relocation sites Depletion factor, rate of accumulation, and percent removable Problems which may arise from using the deeper brine such as supply, pollution pure product- cost to pump Cost and benefits of breach­ing the causeway The affect breaching the causeway would have on TDSa • joncentration and brine stratification The effect on phase chem­istry of removing one ion and returning the rest to the lake The effect of salt precipi­tation in the north arm at low lake levels What affect would pumping brine into the west desert have on the distribution of TDSa and stratification in the north and south arms? What affect would it have on the circulation pattern? Legal and environmental impact questions.