Bear Lake

A motorboat sprays water and churns up a wake as it speeds across the surface of Bear Lake on a sunny day. Mountain foothills dotted with cabins can be seen in the background beneath a blue sky.

Bear Lake Research Grant Projects

Related Reports

Bear Lake Visualization Project

In the 2023 Utah legislative session, Utah State University was allocated funding to conduct a needs assessment of the Bear Lake Comprehensive Management Plan, under the direction of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands. The plan outlines key issues within the sovereign lands of Bear Lake, as well as needed next steps for research and coordination.

This work is critical. Bear Lake is unique in the region as one of just three large natural lakes in Utah. Of those three, it has by far the highest recreational appeal. As such, the Bear Lake area has seen a 300- percent increase in use and visitation over the past 10 years. Additionally, its span across state lines and its dual use as a reservoir creates additional challenges for the lake.

The Bear Lake Needs Assessment project comprises three main components: a comprehensive report (compiled by The Institute for Land, Water, and Air), an interdisciplinary research program (conducted by USU researchers), and an outreach component (managed by the Institute for Land, Water, and Air). The project was designed to build a network of relationships between a community of experts to address issues surrounding Bear Lake’s natural ecology and human uses.