Utah Water Week Results 2020

    Utah Water Week 2020 Results

    This year was the Utah Water Watch's 7th annual Utah Water Week! Thank you to all the volunteers who monitored sites during the week, you helped create a snapshot of Utah's water quality in just seven days. The results show that all sites monitored are healthy and safe for the critters and humans that use our waterbodies.

    Click here to see some of the great photos submitted by our volunteers for Utah Water Week this year!

    Some Utah Water Week Fast Facts: 

    Number of monitoring events/sites: 30

    Total hours sampled by all volunteers: 39 hours 
    Total miles driven: 509 miles 
    Warmest air temperature sampled: 21.4ºC (70.52ºF) 
    Coldest air temperature sampled: 11.2ºC (52.16ºF) 

    Average water temperature: 10.2ºC (50.36ºF) 
    Average pH: 6.9 
    Average dissolved oxygen: 8.1 mg/L 
    Average turbidity: 43.2 cm 

    To view the keys for all interactive maps, click on the picture of the box and arrow in the top left corner. To interact with the maps from each category, click on the link below each map.

    Water Temperature 

    Water temperature controls the kinds of organisms that can live in rivers and lakes. Each aquatic species has a preferred temperature range. As temperatures get too far above or below this preferred range, the number of individuals of the species decreases and can eventually be lost in that waterbody.

    The average water temperature for all sites was 10.2°C, 1.58°C warmer than last year. The coldest temperature was 3.7°C at Jordan River. The warmest temperature of 17.5°C was at Bountiful PondThese temperature differences can be attributed to elevation and location. 

    To learn more about water temperature, visit to the temperature information page. 

    For an interactive map, click here and "check" the temperature layer. 

      

    Dissolved Oxygen 

    Dissolved oxygen is critical for aquatic life; it represents the air that aquatic organisms breathe under water. 

    Average dissolved oxygen was 8.1 mg/L, close to last year's average at 8.29 mg/L. When levels drop below 6mg/L it may be harmful for certain sensitive aquatic organisms. The lowest dissolved oxygen reading was 6 mg/L in 7 different locations and the highest was 10 mg/L in eight different locations. 

    To learn more, visit the dissolved oxygen page. 

    For an interactive map, click here and "check" the dissolved oxygen layer. 

      

    pH 

    A healthy pH range in Utah is 6.5-9. pH determines what nutrients and heavy metals are present in our water. It also determines how many nutrients can be taken up by aquatic life. 

    The average pH of all the lakes and streams was 6.9, the same as last year. The lowest pH this week was 5.5 in Birch Creek at Shadow Valley and the highest was 8 at 3 different creeks: Bingham, Kimball, and MacLeod Creek. 

    To learn more, visit the pH page. 

    For an interactive map, click here and "check" the pH layer. 

      

    Stream Turbidity 

    Turbidity is the measure of how clear the water is. When measurement levels are high, that means the body of water has extremely clear water. When the measurement levels are low, that means the water is very cloudy. 

    The highest stream turbidity during water week was in Sevier River, Jordan River, and Bingham Creek, which had a measurement of 15 cm. Water week is held in the spring, typically during spring runoff which tends to make waters murky with mud. The average turbidity level was 43.2 cm, with eight sites having readings of 60 cm. There were seven sites measured this year using a secchi disk instead of a turbidity tube, which is the protocol for measuring lakes, reservoirs, or ponds. The highest measurement being 5.25 meters at Bear Lake, and the lowest being 0.14 meters at Highland Glen Park. 

    To learn more, visit the turbidity page. 

    For an interactive map, click here and "check" the turbidity layer.