This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides salinity and density data collected at Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah monitoring locations during 2021–2022. Temperature, specific conductance, and dissolved oxygen were collected using an In-Situ AquaTROLL 600. Sample density was measured using an Anton Paar DMA 35Ex at 5° increments between 5° and 40° C. Practical salinity was measured at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science using a Guideline Salinometer. These data were used to validate the equation of state for Great Salt Lake at salinities higher than the established range, 23–182 g/L (Naftz, et al, 2011). Data supports increasing the upper density range from 1.145 g/cm3 to 1.214 g/cm3. This increase allows for salinity monitoring up to 270 g/L and encompasses all (north and south arm) GSL waters.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides vertical water-quality profiles collected at Great Salt Lake, Utah monitoring sites during 1995–2000 and 2011–2022. Data were collected using an In-Situ Multi-Parameter TROLL 9500, In-Situ AquaTROLL 500, In-Situ AquaTROLL 600, or YSI EXO2 Multiparameter Sonde. Recorded parameters include water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and reduction potential. Historic data, 1995–2000, includes hydrometer and refractometer readings.

This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Data Release provides vertical water-quality profiles collected at Great Salt Lake, Utah monitoring sites during 1995–2000 and 2011–2022. Data were collected using an In-Situ Multi-Parameter TROLL 9500, In-Situ AquaTROLL 500, In-Situ AquaTROLL 600, or YSI EXO2 Multiparameter Sonde. Recorded parameters include water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, pH, and reduction potential. Historic data, 1995–2000, includes hydrometer and refractometer readings.

The U.S Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), prepares a biennial analysis of salt loading at 20 sites on the Colorado River and its tributaries in Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona. These estimates can also be used by Reclamation to measure the effectiveness of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. Data are retrieved from the publicly available USGS National Water Information System database and provided by Reclamation in the form of .pdf files that are compiled into Excel spreadsheets and included herein.

Comma-separated value (.csv) flat files of wells (point data) with attributes, including calculated alkalinity and assigned hydrogeochemical facies, for the continental United States (CONUS). The files are generated by the salinity calculation workflow in the './output' directory.

Real-time, high frequency (1-second sample interval), georeferenced water quality data was collected in Utah Lake, Utah. Utah Lake is located approximately 45 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, and approximately 5 miles west of Provo, Utah. Data was collected on 8/10/16 over an approximate 6.5-hour period (8:00 – 14:30 h PST) while underway. Sample water was continuously pumped through a pickup tube mounted at the stern of the vessel. Sample was pre-filtered using a 178 um in-line strainer, passed through a de-bubbler, and diverted through a 0.2 micron filter to various water quality instrumentation. Data was handled by a Campbell Scientific CR-6 data logger and recorded continuously to a Microsoft Excel file. Data was displayed in real-time for quality control. Water quality data was processed using an excel macro designed to remove outliers using a 20 second median, followed by a 30 second average. Data includes timestamped, GPS location (latitude, longitude), temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen concentration and percent saturation, turbidity, fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), deep ultra violet (UV), 3 channel DOM fluorometer, transmission/attenuation (670 nm), nitrate, in vivo chlorophyll-a fluorescence (fCHLA), and in vivo phycocyanin fluorescence (blue green algae proxy). More detailed description of methods of collection and instrumentation are outlined in Downing et al. 2016. Data were collected in an effort to characterize the spatial distribution of nutrients and phytoplankton productivity and taxonomy across Utah Lake. This data set is the first of its kind on Utah Lake. The data will be useful to research of related of algal species, especially harmful algal blooms and water quality in Utah Lake.

Since its formation, the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum and its partners have completed a substantial amount of work in an ongoing effort to reduce salinity concentrations and loads in the Colorado River. These efforts and related monitoring have generated a large volume of data and information. This U.S. Geological Survey data release includes geospatial datasets that provide information on salinity-related topics and research in the Colorado River Basin. The datasets include background information and study-specific information. These datasets can be viewed in the accompanying interactive map, available at https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=a9728bc71f854e7da3e79632441b48a7.

The dataset consists of two spreadsheets of data for water samples of varying salinity. One spreadsheet contains measured concentrations of nutrients in filtered water samples that were corrected for salinity effects when necessary, and measured concentrations of nutrients spiked into environmental samples or blank water that were corrected for salinity effects when necessary. The second spreadsheet contains measured concentrations of ammonia and silica in filtered water samples without the salinity correction applied, and measured concentrations of ammonia and silica spiked into environmental samples or blank water without the salinity correction applied.

The dataset consists of two spreadsheets of data for water samples of varying salinity. One spreadsheet contains measured concentrations of nutrients in filtered water samples that were corrected for salinity effects when necessary, and measured concentrations of nutrients spiked into environmental samples or blank water that were corrected for salinity effects when necessary. The second spreadsheet contains measured concentrations of ammonia and silica in filtered water samples without the salinity correction applied, and measured concentrations of ammonia and silica spiked into environmental samples or blank water without the salinity correction applied.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Utah Department of Environmental Quality has developed a geographic database of selected ground-water-level altitude contours and surfaces for Utah. The contour data are derived from studies published by the USGS and the State of Utah. The published contours were converted to digital format and attributes documenting information such as the water-level altitude, the year the study report was published, the year for which the contours were drawn, and a link to the on-line version of the study report were added to the data set. The contours were input to the database as a unique polyline feature class for each study area. The digital contours were passed through an inverse distance weighted algorithm to develop a continuous interpolated water-level altitude surface in raster format. The water-level altitude surface was subtracted from USGS National Elevation data to derive a second raster of the estimated depth-to-ground-water surface for each study. Comparison of the derived water-level altitude surface to water-level measurements from the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database shows calculated values from the water-level altitude rasters are generally well correlated with measured values from NWIS. The database is not intended to result in exact predictions of the ground-water altitude or depth to ground water for any location but can be used as a general guide to aid the management and protection of ground-water resources in Utah.