2D: Managing Utah's diverse groundwater basins

Groundwater is present throughout Utah, but quantities suitable for public supply, irrigation, or industrial uses are only available in limited areas. Most of Utah’s groundwater occurrences are found below valley floors in “basins” that are filled with sediments eroded from adjacent mountains. The geologic formations that readily transmit groundwater to wells or springs are called aquifers and are found at depths ranging from a few to hundreds of feet. Infiltration of rain and snowmelt in higher elevation areas recharge aquifers, a process that can take years to millennia. Long-term groundwater use that outpaces recharge may lower water levels in wells, reduce supply, and degrade water quality.

Although groundwater only accounts for 25% of the water used in Utah, it comprises nearly 60-70% of the water used for public supply and industrial purposes.

Importantly, groundwater and surface water should not be considered as separate resources in many areas because grounwater and surface water are interconnected and should be managed together. In others, particuarly where Lake Bonneville was present, groundwater is separated from surface water bodies by layers of impermeable clay. In these basins, groundwater may be managed separately from surface water to maximize the amount of water available for beneficial use.

Groundwater research in Utah is necessary to understand how aquifers receive recharge and how long it takes, how much is available for beneficial use, and how increasing demands coupled with climate change will impact long-term supplies.