OCR Text |
Show ate this danger. Any solution of the high water problem which requires an alteration of the lake system has the potential of affecting the future salinity distribution in the lake. Therefore, a potential trade off exists between alleviating high water damages and altering production capabilities by changing the present salinity distribution. A desirable requirement of any proposed management scheme is an ability to predict the changes which would take place in the salinity distribution as a result of particular system alterations so that any adverse affect on salt production could be anticipated and minimized. A predictive ability cannot be gained until an understanding of the present hydrologic system is better established. At present, there is little conflict between the lake ecosystem and the mineral extraction industry. A shift in the ecosystem which would cause the population of algae to substantially increase could create a situation in which the mineral extraction industry w^ uld have difficulty in extracting a pure product. Potential conflicts of this type need to be defined. The list of research needs identified for the mineral extraction industry is given in Table 3. Many of the items deal with understanding the present physical system and developing the ability to predict the consequences of altering the system. Table 3. Research needs identified for the mineral extraction industry. Research Needs Possible Information Source Group A Methods of controlling high water damage ( flooding) in both the short and long- term. An accurate lake level frequency curve. State of art prediction of future extreme high and low lake elevations. Future salinity trends of both the north and south arms under present lake conditions and the effects of any alterations of the present system especially breaching the causeway. Economic impact of the mineral extraction industry on the state and how it would be altered if the physical system is changed. Economic analysis of mineral extraction as affected by lake salinity levels A better understanding of the present water and salinity balance, specifically: a. The change in ionic makeup of the brine, if any, occurring in each arm as a function of time and how the precipitation of salt in the north arm affects the ionic makeup. b. A better definition of the two directional flow through the railroad causeway fill and culverts. c. Accurate evaporation, precipitation, and groundwater inflow data. d. The rate of mixing between the lower and upper south arm brines. e. Future volume and salinity trends of the lower south arm brine layer. f. Conditions that would cause the north arm to become density stratified. Group B The concentration and distribution of heavy metals in the lower south arm layer. Feasibility of using the lower south arm brine for salt production. Circulation and resulting horizontal distribution of salt within each arm. Group C The micro- climate of future extraction sites. The rate of accumulation and depletion of each ion. The effect on phase chemistry of the extraction of salt and salt precipitation in the north arm. Methods of algae control near pond intakes. Ecologic conditions which would interfere with the extraction of salts. DWR, ACE, UWRL, UDOT DWR, UWRL DWR, UWRL, H. Willett ( MIT) DWR, UWRL, J. Glassett ( BYU) UUBEBR, UWRL, Salt Companies, UGMS UUBEBR, UWRL, Salt Companies, UGMS UGMS USGS USGS, DWR J. Glassett ( BYU), G. Watters ( USU), A. Lin ( U of U) UGMS J. Glassett ( BYU), G. Watters ( USU), A. Lin ( U of U) UGMS UGMS UGMS, G. Watters ( USU), A. Lin ( U of U) USGS, D. Dickson ( U of U) UGMS UGMS F. Post ( USU), UGMS UGMS, Salt Co. 30 |