Great Salt Lake

The Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands (FFSL) has direct management jurisdiction over lands below the Great Salt Lake meander line and all of Fremont Island. However, FFSL recognizes the importance of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, including resource values and uses outside of the meander line that affects or are affected by actions on sovereign lands. Accordingly, FFSL considers it imperative that the management of Great Salt Lake include coordination in planning and actions by other agencies with jurisdictional responsibility for these resources.

Great Salt Lake is a unique and complex ecosystem of regional and hemispherical importance. Sustainable use of Great Salt Lake’s natural resources will ensure that the ecological health (e.g., water quality, shoreline condition, salinity, aquatic organisms, wildlife, wetlands), scenic attributes, extractive industries (e.g., minerals, brine shrimp, microorganisms), and recreation opportunities (e.g., bird watching, hunting, sailing) will be maintained into the future. FFSL coordinates with other states, federal, and local entities to ensure that the management of these resources will provide lasting benefits to the Public Trust. Great Salt Lake is managed by FFSL under the Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management and Mineral Leasing Plans.

Great Salt Lake Website

Mineral Information

Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan

We’re updating the Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan and Great Salt Lake Mineral Leasing Plan click here to learn more about the updated management and leasing plans!

In 2013, in collaboration with many partners and stakeholders, the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) updated both the Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan, Elevation Matrix, and Great Salt Lake Mineral Leasing Plan. These plans are unique in that they guide FFSL in its responsibility to manage sovereign land resources. FFSL has direct jurisdictional management responsibilities over all lands below the lake’s meander line and over Fremont Island. It is imperative that these plans are done in coordination with other agencies with jurisdictional responsibilities for these resources. These plans will ensure that the ecological health, scenic attributes, extractive industries, and recreation opportunities will be maintained now and into the future and provide lasting benefits to the public trust. Conditions on Great Salt Lake and throughout its watershed have changed considerably since 2013, as have the available data and science. As such, it is now time to update both plans.

Great Salt Lake CMP

Elevation Matrix

Mineral Leasing Plan

GSL Committees

Protecting the Great Salt Lake is a collaborative effort involving many stakeholders. These include state, federal and local government agencies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, industry representatives, and the public. The contributions of several councils and committees further support this collaborative work.

For a list of all agencies and partners involved in the work on Great Salt Lake, visit the greatsaltlake.utah.gov.

Studies

Round Robin of Methods to Estimate the Salinity of Great Salt Lake Waters
This study was completed by the Salinity Advisory Committee to compare results from various field and laboratory analytical methods used to estimate the density, salinity, and major ions of GSL waters. This memorandum summarizes the methods and results from the round-robin, available density and salinity datasets, and the SAC’s recommendations for the next steps.

Standard Operating Procedure – Great Salt Lake Water Density Measurement and Salinity Calculation
The Salinity Advisory Committee developed and recommends the use of this Standard Operating Procedure for water density measurement and salinity calculations for Great Salt Lake waters.

Rubric for Salinity Objectives

Salinity Matrix
The 2013 Great Salt Lake Comprehensive Management Plan (UDNR 2013) includes a lake water level matrix that illustrates the benefit or impact of different lake water levels (y-axis) on the numerous resources and uses of GSL (x-axis). The SAC decided to develop a similar matrix for salinity to serve as a companion to the GSL water level matrix. The GSL Salinity Matrix will provide lake users, researchers, managers, and regulators with a practical means to interpret salinity data and evaluate their significance for GSL. The SAC intends for this matrix to be a starting point. It is intended to be a tool that is useful today but will continue to be improved into tomorrow.

Salinity Matrix – detailed
Salinity Matrix – Summary
Influence of Salinity on the Resources and Uses of Great Salt Lake

Mission

To provide guidance and recommendations in the monitoring, management and research efforts of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem and to provide a forum for the interchange of information on ideas, projects, and programs that affect the activities and natural systems of the Great Salt Lake.

Authority

Statute: Utah Code Annotated 65A-10-8(11)

Requirements of the Great Salt Lake Technical Team (from the GSL Comprehensive Management Plan)

Coordinate and provide oversight of data-gathering activities.

Ensure the collected data is analyzed and shared with all research and monitoring participants.
Make data available to the public.
Meet at least twice annually.
Be self-governing.

Great Salt Lake Technical Team Members

Great Salt Lake Technical Team Meeting Dates

Great Salt Lake Research Grants

Leases & Permits

For Leases and Permits related to activities on Great Salt Lake, please reach out to Angela Gong at 385-226-3333 or by email at [email protected], or visit our Leases & Permits page.