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Show SALINITY ISSUES 1. Data gathering and model development a.) State and Federal agencies are to be commended for the large amount of high- quality lake elevation and salinity data collected over the past fifty years. b.) The USGS has developed a model capable of explaining lake elevation and salinity of GSL when GSL is considered one lake with only two parts, Gunnison Bay and the rest of the lake ( i. e. Gilbert Bay, Bear River, Ogden Bay and Farmington Bay). c.) Uncertainties in the datums used for measurements of historic water surface elevations at various lake locations should be resolved as soon as possible. When the elevation difference across a causeway is important, monitoring should be done on both sides of that causeway and not projected across many miles. Changes in technology may result in less labor- intensive monitoring programs. The State should continue its cooperative program with the USGS to monitor lake levels at the two locations in Gilbert Bay and one location in Gunnison Bay ( i. e. Saline, Promontory, and Saltair) as long as the effects of the railroad causeway are of concern. d.) Analyses and results of modeling should be validated to make sure they are free of substantive error that may have been introduced by errors in reporting of historic lake elevations. e.) The PD implies that a change in upstream depletions of 100,000 acre- feet per year will affect lake elevation by about one foot. It is not clear whether the one- foot differential would be the cumulative result over time or that for a given year. Further the PD offers no detailed analysis of the net change in lake inflows that will result from anticipated or planned upstream diversions and water imports. More information regarding future water development in the watershed of GSL is available within DNR and should be used to address concerns about changes in magnitude and direction of lake level due to human intervention. Freshwater embayments become reservoirs behind dikes, which are in essence, dams. Their construction should meet all State of Utah and Federal dam safety standards. f.) Schemes to impound fresh water and stabilize the lake level of certain portions of the east side of the GSL magnify the variability in the remainder of the lake. These may change what is presently a property damage problem into a life- safety problem along developed shorelines. 2. Data analysis a.) The natural variability of GSL is not adequately addressed in the PD. Pre- causeway salinity conditions have not been adequately discussed. b.) The PD states that " there is an apparent change in the exchange of salts between north and south arms." The PD does not include the presentation of a detailed salt 225 |
