Ground-water conditions in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, 1969-83, and predicted effects of increased withdrawals from wells
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Abstract
This report was prepared in cooperation with several organizations in the Salt Lake Valley and with the Central Utah Water Conservancy District to present results of a study to determine changes in the ground-water conditions in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, from 1969 to 1983, and to predict the aquifer response to projected withdrawals. The average annual recharge and discharge from the ground-water reservoir in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, during 1969-82 were estimated to be about 352,000 and 353,000 acre-feet per year. Withdrawals from wells increased from 107,000 acre-feet per year during 1964-68 to 117,000 acre-feet per year during 1969-82. The greatest increase in use was for public supply and institutions which increased from 35,000 acre-feet per year during 1964-68 to 46,700 acre-feet per year during 1969-82.
From 1969 to 1983 water levels declined from 5 to 15 feet in the southeast part of the valley where pumpage from large public supply wells was greater during 1969-82 than during previous years. From February-March 1969 to February-March 1983 the quantity of ground water in storage in Salt Lake Valley increased by about 33,000 acre-feet.
A digital-computer model was calibrated to simulate, in three-dimensions, the ground-water flow in the principal and shallow-unconfined aquifers in Salt Lake Valley. Simulations were made to project the response to continuing withdrawals through 2020. Alternative pumping rates used were (1) the 1982 rate of pumpage and (2) increasing the 1982 rate of pumpage by 65,000 acre-feet. The simulation at the increased rate of pumpage indicated that drawdowns would reach 40-60 feet in the area east of Sandy. About 75 percent of the increased withdrawal was salvaged from water that otherwise would have been discharged to the Jordan River and its tributaries.
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Ground-water conditions in Salt Lake Valley, Utah, 1969-83, and predicted effects of increased withdrawals from wells |
| Series title | Open-File Report |
| Series number | 86-237 |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr86237 |
| Year Published | 1986 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Description | vi, 60 p. |
| Country | United States |
| State | Utah |
| Other Geospatial | Salt Lake Valley |