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Utah Water Science Center


Picture of Great Salt Lake at sunset.

GREAT SALT LAKE

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USGS Water Science Centers are located in each state.

There is a USGS Water Science Center office in each State. Washington Oregon California Idaho Nevada Montana Wyoming Utah Colorado Arizona New Mexico North Dakota South Dakota Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Minnesota Iowa Missouri Arkansas Louisiana Wisconsin Illinois Mississippi Michigan Indiana Ohio Kentucky Tennessee Alabama Pennsylvania West Virginia Georgia Florida Caribbean Alaska Hawaii New York Vermont New Hampshire Maine Massachusetts South Carolina North Carolina Rhode Island Virginia Connecticut New Jersey Maryland-Delaware-D.C.

Birds and Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake supports between 2 and 5 million shorebirds, as many as 1.7 million eared grebes, and hundreds of thousands of waterfowl during spring and fall migration. Because of its importance to migratory birds, the lake was designated a part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network in 1992. The lake and its marshes provide a resting and staging area for the birds, as well as an abundance of brine shrimp and brine flies that serve as food.

SpeciesPopulationRemarks
Wilson's Phalarope 500,000 Largest staging concentration in the world
Red-Necked Phalarope 280,000 Single-day estimate
American Avocet 250,000 Many times higher than any other wetland in the
Pacific Flyway
Black-Necked Stilt 65,000 Many times higher than any other wetland in the
Pacific Flyway
Marbled Godwit 30,000 Single-day count
Snowy Plover 10,000 The worlds largest assemblage, representing 55% of
the entire breeding population west of the Rocky Mts.
Western Sandpiper 17,000 In one flock
Long-Billed Dowitcher 32,000 Single-day count
White Pelican 18,000 Breeding adults, one of the three largest colonies in
Western North America
White-Faced Ibis 7,500 Breeding adults, world's largest breeding population
California Gull 160,000 Breeding adults, world's largest breeding population
Eared Grebe 400,000 Second largest staging population in North America
Peregrine Falcon 11 Active pairs of this endangered species
Bald Eagle >500 Wintering Eagles associated with Great Salt Lake, one
of top 10 winter populations in the lower 48 states
Bank Swallow >10,000 In one flock. Great Salt Lake represents one of the
largest migratory corridors in Western North America

Source: Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, Don Paul

Great Salt Lake Wetlands

Important lake wetlands include Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Locomotive Springs, Salt Creek, Public Shooting Grounds, Harold Crane, Ogden Bay, Timpie Springs, and Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Areas operated by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources; and Gillmor Sanctuary wetlands managed by the Audubon Society.

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Page Last Modified: Thursday, 10-Jan-2013 12:01:23 EST