Editing Utah Lake

{{short description|Freshwater lake in Utah County, Utah, United States}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name               = Utah Lake
| image              = Utahlake oli 2017171 lrg.jpeg
| caption            = Satellite photo of Utah Lake
| pushpin_map        = Utah#USA
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_label_position = left
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of within Utah##Location within the United States
| image_bathymetry   = 
| caption_bathymetry = 
| location           = [[Utah County, Utah|Utah County]], [[Utah]],<br />United States
| coords             = {{Coord|40|13|12|N|111|48|00|W|region:US-UT_type:waterbody_scale:250000|display=inline,title}}
| type               = slightly [[saline water|saline]] [[Eutrophication|Eutrophic]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Fuhriman|Merritt|Miller|Stock|1981|p=43}}</ref>
| inflow             = [[American Fork (river)|American Fork]], [[Provo River]], [[Hobble Creek (Utah County, Utah)|Hobble Creek]], and [[Spanish Fork (river)|Spanish Fork]]
| outflow            = [[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]] and ''[[evaporation]]''
| catchment          = {{convert|3846|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name="watershed" />
| basin_countries    = United States
| agency             = [[Utah|State of Utah]]
| length             = {{convert|24|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lake length">{{Citation | url=http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/utah.html | title=Utah Lake | publisher=June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program | access-date=April 10, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091012094537/http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/utah.html | archive-date=October 12, 2009 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>
| width              = {{convert|13|mi|km|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lake length" />
| area               = {{convert|95,000|acre|km2|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lake stat" />
| depth              = {{convert|10.5|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lake depth" />
| max-depth          = {{convert|14|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name="Lake depth" />
| volume             = {{convert|870000|acre.ft|m3|abbr=on|lk=in}}<ref name="Lake stat" />
| shore              = 
| elevation          = {{convert|4489|ft|m|abbr=on}} (compromise)<ref name="Lake stat" />
| islands            = 1
| cities             = [[Provo, Utah|Provo]]-[[Orem, Utah|Orem]] metropolitan area
| website            = {{url|https://utahlake.org/}}
}}

'''Utah Lake''' is a shallow freshwater lake in the center of [[Utah County, Utah|Utah County]], [[Utah]], United States. It lies in [[Utah Valley]], surrounded by the [[Provo, Utah|Provo]]-[[Orem, Utah|Orem]] [[metropolitan area]]. The lake's only river outlet, the [[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]], is a tributary of the [[Great Salt Lake]]. Evaporation accounts for 42% of the lake's outflow, which leaves the lake slightly [[saline water|saline]]. The elevation of the lake is at {{convert|4489|ft|m}} above sea level. If the lake's water level rises above that, the pumps and gates on the Jordan River are left open. Recently{{when?|date=April 2025}} the lake has been at a lower level because of a drought.

[[Image:Utah Lake.jpg|thumb|left|Utah Lake and [[Utah Valley]]]]
The first European to see Utah Lake was Father [[Silvestre Vélez de Escalante]] in 1776. He stayed with the [[Timpanogos|Timpanogots]] band of [[Ute Tribe]] for three days. [[Mormon]] settlers later settled near the lake beginning in 1849, with the Timpanogots becoming mostly displaced from the area by 1872. The native fish species of the lake were [[overharvested]] by the settlers and subsequently restocked with non-native species.

Although thirteen species of fish were native to the lake, only the [[Utah sucker]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=COLE|first1=D. D.|last2=MOCK|first2=K. E.|last3=CARDALL|first3=B. L.| last4=CROWL| first4=T. A.|date=December 2008|title=Morphological and genetic structuring in the Utah Lake sucker complex|journal=Molecular Ecology|volume=17|issue=24|pages=5189–5204 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03990.x|pmid=19067800|bibcode=2008MolEc..17.5189C |s2cid=34427341|issn=0962-1083}}</ref> and the previously critically endangered, now threatened, [[June sucker]]<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Strohm|first1=Deanna D.| last2=Budy| first2=Phaedra| last3=Crowl|first3=Todd A.|date=2017-05-22|title=Matching Watershed and Otolith Chemistry to Establish Natal Origin of an Endangered Desert Lake Sucker|journal=Transactions of the American Fisheries Society|volume=146|issue=4|pages=732–743| doi=10.1080/00028487.2017.1301994|bibcode=2017TrAFS.146..732S | issn=0002-8487 |url=https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4416}}</ref> remain. The dominant species in the lake is the [[common carp]], introduced in 1883 as an alternative to the overharvested native fish. The carp is now estimated at 90% of the [[biomass]] of the lake and contributes to a decline in native fish populations by severely altering the ecosystem.  Pollution has also caused problems with the lake's ecosystem. Raw [[sewage]] was dumped into the lake as late as 1967. Pollution problems still remain; the lake's [[phosphorus]] and mineral salt levels are in violation of the [[Clean Water Act]]. In recent years, the lake has been prone to [[harmful algal blooms]] or HABs.<ref>{{Cite journal|doi = 10.1371/journal.pone.0212238| title = Sediment potentially controls in-lake phosphorus cycling and harmful cyanobacteria in shallow, eutrophic Utah Lake|year = 2019|last1 = Randall|first1 = Matthew C.|last2 = Carling|first2 = Gregory T.|last3 = Dastrup|first3 = Dylan B. |last4 = Miller| first4 = Theron|last5 = Nelson|first5 = Stephen T.|last6 = Rey|first6 = Kevin A.| last7 = Hansen| first7 = Neil C.|last8 = Bickmore|first8 = Barry R.|last9 = Aanderud|first9 = Zachary T.|journal = PLOS ONE|volume = 14|issue = 2|pages = e0212238|pmid = 30763352|pmc = 6375609| bibcode = 2019PLoSO..1412238R|s2cid = 67857832|doi-access = free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web| url=https://deq.utah.gov/communication/state-of-the-environment-report/utah-lake-study-2018-state-of-the-environment-report-wq|title=Utah Lake Study 2018 State of the Environment Report (WQ) |date=2019-01-02|website=Utah Department of Environmental Quality|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-25 |author1=Red5 }}</ref>

Utah Lake is managed cooperatively by the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands and the Utah Lake Authority. The Division manages public use and issues a permit for commercial users of the lakebed and shoreline while the Commission facilitates development. The lakebed and surrounding shoreline are made up of State Sovereign Lands. Utah Lake is one of three lakes in the state that were deemed "navigable" at statehood and granted to the State of Utah.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title65A/Chapter1/65A-1-S4.html?v=C65A-1-S4_1800010118000101|title=Utah State Code}}</ref> Sovereign lands are managed under the public trust doctrine.

The Utah State Legislature has designated the Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands as the executive authority for the management of sovereign lands and the state's mineral estates on lands other than school and institutional trust lands. Sovereign lands are defined by the Utah State Legislature as "those lands lying below the ordinary high water mark of navigable bodies of water at the date of statehood and owned by the state by virtue of its sovereignty."<ref>{{Cite web| url=https://ffsl.utah.gov/index.php/state-lands|title=Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands| last=State of Utah|website=Utah DNR}}</ref>

The Commission was created by State statute in Utah's 2007 General Legislative Session, [http://le.utah.gov/~2007/bills/static/HCR001.html House Concurrent Resolution 1], under the authority of the [http://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title11/Chapter13/C11-13_1800010118000101.pdf Interlocal Cooperation Act]. The Commission is funded and empowered by 17 area governments, including; Utah County and its municipalities, the [http://www.cuwcd.com/ Central Utah Water Conservancy District], and three state agencies. Founded in 2007, the Commission seeks to promote multiple public uses of the lake, facilitate orderly planning and development in and around the lake, and enable individual Commission members to govern their own areas.

==Name==
European explorers initially called the lake "Lake Timpanogos" after the [[Timpanogos]] band of the [[Shoshone]] tribe.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maffly |first1=Brian |title=How Utah Lake once sustained tribes and Mormon pioneers and why it needs help |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2022/03/31/how-utah-lake-once/ |access-date=31 October 2022 |agency=Salt Lake Tribune |date=31 March 2022}}</ref> An 1827 letter written by American explorer [[Jedediah Smith|Jedidiah Strong Smith]] contains the earliest known reference to "Utah" as the name of the lake.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Discover |url=https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utah-lake/discover/ |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Utah State Parks |language=en-US}}</ref> The precise origin of the name "Utah Lake" is unknown. One possible explanation is that it was named for the abundant reeds in and around the lake, called "Eu-tah".<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Utah Lake FAQs |url=https://pws.byu.edu/utah-lake/about-utah-lake |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=Plant & Wildlife Sciences |language=en}}</ref> Another explanation is that it was incorrectly named after the [[Ute people|Ute Tribe]] (Timpanogos are often incorrectly referred to as Ute).<ref name=":0" />

==Geography==
Utah Lake is within Utah Valley in north-central Utah. Mountains surround Utah Valley on three sides: the [[Wasatch Range]] to the east, [[Traverse Mountains]] to the north, and the [[Lake Mountains]] to the west. [[Mount Nebo (Utah)|Mount Nebo]] reaches an altitude of {{convert|11863|ft|m|adj=on}},<ref>{{Citation | url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=127:3:5004522615865360::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1443780%2CMount%20Nebo | title=Feature Detail Report for: Mount Nebo | work=U.S. Board on Geographic Names | publisher=United States Geological Service | access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref>  and [[Mount Timpanogos]] reaches an altitude of {{convert|11745|ft|m|adj=on}},<ref>{{Citation | url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=127:3:5004522615865360::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1446612%2CMount%20Timpanogos | title=Feature Detail Report for: Mount Timpanogos | work=U.S. Board on Geographic Names | publisher=United States Geological Service | access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref> nearly {{convert|7250|ft|m}} above the valley floor.  Jutting into the south portion of the lake is {{convert|6805|ft|m|adj=on}} [[West Mountain (Utah County, Utah)|West Mountain]],<ref>{{Citation | url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=127:3:5004522615865360::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1434101%2CWest%20Mountain | title=Feature Detail Report for: West Mountain | work=U.S. Board on Geographic Names | publisher=United States Geological Service | access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref> which divides Goshen Bay and Lincoln Beach. Utah Lake is situated on the western edge of the valley and covers more than 25% of [[Utah Valley]]'s floor.<ref name="Lake stat">{{Harvnb|Jackson|Stevens|1981|p=3}}</ref> Because of its location on the western side of the valley, the eastern shore has a gentle slope and the western shore rises abruptly against the Lake Mountains. Connected to the main body of the lake are two large, shallow bays: the aforementioned Goshen Bay (north [[Goshen Valley]]) to the south and Provo Bay to the east. Major cities such as [[Provo, Utah|Provo]] and [[Orem, Utah|Orem]] are located between the lake's eastern shore and the Wasatch Range.

Utah Lake is a remnant of a much larger [[pleistocene]] lake called [[Lake Bonneville]], which existed from 75,000 to 8,000 years ago.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brimhall|Merritt|1981|pp=25–26}}</ref> At its peak 30,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville reached an elevation of {{convert|5090|ft|m}} above sea level and had a surface area of {{convert|19800|sqmi|km2}}, which was nearly as large as [[Lake Michigan]]. The weight of the lake depressed sections of the lake bottom by as much as {{convert|240|ft|m}} before the surface rebounded when the lake dried up.<ref>{{Harvnb|Major_Levels_of_Great_Salt_Lake_and_Lake_Bonneville|1984|pp=1–2}}</ref> About 12,000 years ago, the climate of the region became warmer and drier. As evaporation rates exceeded inflow rates, the lake began to dry up, leaving Utah Lake, the [[Great Salt Lake]], [[Sevier Lake]], and [[Rush Lake (Tooele County, Utah)|Rush Lake]] as remnants.<ref>{{Harvnb|Lake_Bonneville_fluctuations_and_global_climate_change|1997|pp=155–158}}</ref>

[[Image:American Fork Canyon and view of Bonneville terrace.jpg|thumb|left|[[Wasatch Range]] and ancient shoreline of [[Lake Bonneville]]]]
Over the roughly 65,000 years that Lake Bonneville existed, sediments built up, creating a [[lacustrine plain]] over Utah Valley. As a result, the valley floor and lake bed are relatively flat, which causes the lake to be shallow.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jackson|Stevens|1981|p=5}}</ref> The lake has a maximum depth of just under {{convert|14|ft|m}} and an average depth of about {{convert|10.5|ft|m}}. This shallowness allows winds to easily stir up sediments from the lake's bottom, contributing to the [[turbidity]] or the impression of pollution seen in Utah Lake's water.<ref name="Lake depth">{{Harvnb|Brimhall|Merritt|1981|pp=30–31}}</ref>

Three [[Fault (geology)|faults]] run under Utah Lake. One of the faults, the Bird Island fault, runs under the eastern edge of the lake and helps give rise to [[hot springs]] near Lincoln Beach.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brimhall|Merritt|1981|pp=36–38}}</ref> The other major hot spring is on the northern shore and is called [[Saratoga Springs, Utah|Saratoga Springs]]. The hot springs mostly result from the development of [[hydraulic pressure]] as the [[ground water]] slopes toward the middle of the lake.<ref>{{Harvnb|Brimhall|Merritt|1981|p=39}}</ref>

The lake contains a small island called [[Bird Island, Utah|Bird Island]], about {{convert|2.25|mi|km}} north of the Lincoln Beach boat ramp, near its south end. The island has a few trees and is somewhat visible from Lincoln Beach. During high-water years, the island may be completely submerged, the trees being the only indication it is there. It is a fairly popular destination among fishermen seeking [[walleye]], [[white bass]], and [[channel catfish]].<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.utahoutdoors.com/pages/BirdIsland.htm | title=Utah Lake's Bird Island | publisher=Utah Outdoors | access-date=April 7, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717130002/http://www.utahoutdoors.com/pages/BirdIsland.htm | archive-date=July 17, 2010 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==Hydrology==
[[Image:Jordan River Basin.png|thumb|upright=1.3|Map of the [[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]] Basin]]
The Utah Lake watershed drains {{convert|3846|sqmi|km2}} over mostly mountainous terrain. The watershed's highest point is at {{convert|11765|ft|m|adj=on}} [[Bald Mountain (Utah)|Bald Mountain]] in the [[Uinta Mountains]].<ref>{{Citation | title=Feature Detail Report for: Bald Mountain | work=U.S. Board on Geographic Names | url=http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=127:3:2883663352578667::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:1438361%2CBald%20Mountain | publisher=United States Geological Service | access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref>  {{convert|782335|acre|km2|0}} (32%) are managed by the United States Forest Service, {{convert|249329|acre|km2|0}} (11%) are managed by other government entities, and the majority of the rest, {{convert|1263696|acre|km2|0}} (51%), are privately owned.<ref name="watershed">{{Citation | url=http://www.greatsaltlake.utah.edu/description/utahlake/ | title=Utah Lake Watershed | publisher=Great Salt Lake Basin Hydrologic Observatory | access-date=April 7, 2010}}</ref>

Two major tributaries account for nearly 60% of inflow by streams or rivers into Utah Lake. The [[Provo River]] accounts for 36% of the inflow, and the [[Spanish Fork (river)|Spanish Fork]] river accounts for 24%.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_TMDL|2007|p=9}}</ref> Other tributaries include the [[American Fork (river)|American Fork]] river, Current Creek, [[Dry Creek (Utah)|Dry Creek]], [[Hobble Creek (Utah County, Utah)|Hobble Creek]], and Mill Race Creek. Additionally, many [[hot springs]] and smaller creeks are flowing into the lake. Utah Lake is drained by the [[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]], which begins at the lake's north end.  The river flows north through Utah, [[Salt Lake County, Utah|Salt Lake]], and [[Davis County, Utah|Davis]] counties and then into the southeast portion of the Great Salt Lake. Given the lake's semi-arid climate, large surface area, and shallow average depth, evaporation accounts for 42% of Utah Lake's outflow.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_TMDL|2007|p=12}}</ref>

[[Image:Jordan River Pumps.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]] pumping station at Utah Lake, April 2010]]
After several years of drought, irrigation companies argued over their share of Utah Lake's water from the Jordan River. Judge Morse of the Third District Court issued his judgment known as the Morse Decree of 1901. The decree stated that the irrigation companies "are entitled to a decree awarding to them, subject to the limitations hereinafter set forth, the right to the use of all the balance of the waters of the Jordan River, for municipal, irrigation, culinary, and domestic purposes, to the extent of the capacity of their several canals, and the right to impound and store all of the waters of said river in Utah Lake."<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_and_Jordan_River_Water_Management Plan|1989|p=10}}</ref> In response to the drought, a pumping plant was installed at the outlet of the Jordan River from Utah Lake. It was the largest pumping plant in the United States at the time. The plant contained seven pumps with a total capacity of {{convert|700|cuft|m3}} per second.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_and_Jordan_River_Water_Management Plan|1989|pp=8–9}}</ref> After the decree was released, Utah Lake essentially became an irrigation reservoir, and the Jordan River's flow was highly regulated.

As a result of the 1983–1984 flooding, a lawsuit was filed for compensation due to flooding based upon breach of contract of the previous compromise level. In 1985, a new compromise level was reached, which governed the maximum level of the lake. The new level was chosen to be {{convert|4489|ft|m}} above sea level. When the water level in Utah Lake exceeds this level, the Jordan River pumps and gates are left open.<ref name="elevation">{{Citation | url=http://www.waterrights.utah.gov/wrinfo/policy/ut_lake/plan.htm | title=Utah Lake interim water distribution plan | publisher=Utah Division of Water Rights | date=April 16, 1993 | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>  The new compromise level also meant that the lake's elevation was below Jordan River's stream bed.

===Pollution===
In 1948, a study showed Utah Lake was being seriously polluted. As a result, Utah County cities decided to plan how and where to build [[sewage treatment]] plants instead of dumping raw [[sewage]] into the lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ro8xAAAAIBAJ&pg=5605,4234737 | title=Probe Slated In Pollution Of Utah Lake | newspaper=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=July 21, 1948 | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref> By 1954, many cities had constructed sewage treatment plants, but Provo's was still under construction.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=oxMwAAAAIBAJ&pg=2387,3660712 | title=Storage Project, Sewage Disposal Would Aid The Future Of Utah Lake | newspaper=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=May 20, 1954 | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>  Raw sewage was still getting into the lake by 1967.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D44xAAAAIBAJ&pg=7039,597545 | title=Sewage Fouls Utah Lake | newspaper=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=November 2, 1967 | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>

In the State of Utah, the [[Utah Division of Water Quality]] and Utah Division of Drinking Water are responsible for the management and regulation of water quality. Lakes, rivers, and streams that exceed the standard levels are then placed on the DEQ 303d list in accordance with the [[Clean Water Act]]. The Act requires states to identify impaired water bodies every two years and develop a [[total maximum daily load]] (TMDL) for pollutants that a body of water can assimilate without causing the water body to exceed the water quality standards.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/ | title=Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) | publisher=Utah Division of Water Quality | access-date=April 1, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630091853/http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/ | archive-date=June 30, 2010 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>  Utah Lake was originally put on Utah's 2000 and 2004 303d list for phosphorus and total dissolved solids (TDS) exceeding recommend values.  High levels of phosphorus can cause high levels of nuisance algae growth, low dissolved oxygen, and eleTDS tells about the concentration of mineral salts in the water, which can cause problems to agriculture and culinary water supplies.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_TMDL|2007|pp=5–6}}</ref> Excess levels of phosphorus come from multiple sources, but namely the wastewater treatment plants, are extremely concerning when it comes to Utah Lake management because high levels can trigger [[harmful algal blooms]] and [[eutrophication]]<ref name="Descy, J.P. pp. 129-138">Descy, J.P. et al. Identifying the factors determining blooms of cyanobacteria in a set of shallow lakes. Ecol. Informatics, vol. 34, pp. 129-138, 2016</ref> There is some discussion as to how much of the phosphorus is the result of anthropogenic causes and how much is the result of historic phosphorus stored in the lake sediment.<ref>Abu-Hmeidan, Hani Yousef, Gustavious P. Williams, and A. Woodruff Miller. "Characterizing Total Phosphorus in Current and Geologic Utah Lake Sediments: Implications for Water Quality Management Issues." Hydrology 5, no. 1 (March 2018): 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology5010008.</ref>

Krissy Wilson of Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources stated in 2010 that water quality is now improving, with greater flows of water, among other things, contributing to the improvement. However, the presence and activity of carp, which stir up solids in the water, makes it difficult to appreciate the improvement without conducting scientific measurements.<ref name="DN Save the Lake">{{cite news | last =Haddock | first =Marc | title = Save the June sucker, save Utah Lake? | newspaper =Deseret News | date =September 26, 2010 | url =http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700068672/Save-the-June-sucker-save-Utah-Lake.html | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100928021559/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700068672/Save-the-June-sucker-save-Utah-Lake.html | url-status =dead | archive-date =September 28, 2010 | access-date =November 26, 2012}}</ref>

===Harmful algal blooms in Utah Lake===
There are several [[cyanobacteria]] species that are especially common when phosphorus levels and temperature, among other unknown criteria, are favorable for harmful algal blooms.<ref name="Descy, J.P. pp. 129-138"/> These are Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and Dolichospermum flosaquae species, both of which produce [[cyanotoxins]].<ref>Rosen, B. H., Amand, A. S., & Rosen. (2015). Field and Laboratory Guide to Freshwater Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms for Native American and Alaska Native Communities. Open-File Report. doi: 10.3133/ofr20151164</ref> If levels are high enough for either species and others, the lake is closed to the public.<ref>USU Water Quality Extension. (2016, February). Utah Water Watch HAB Monitoring Program. Retrieved October 2019, from https://extension.usu.edu/utahwaterwatch/ou-files/Instructions/HAB.pdf.</ref>

==History==

===Pre-European===
The first inhabitants of the area were nomadic hunter-gatherers of the [[Desert Archaic Culture]].<ref>{{Harvnb|The_Aboriginal_Peoples|1960|pp=211–222}}</ref>  An archeology site, called the Soo'nkahni Village, has been explored next to the Jordan River in [[Draper, Utah|Draper]]. The site dates back 3,000 years, and over 30,000 artifacts have been found.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14515513 | title=Tribal leaders say UTA 'ignores' them | newspaper=Salt Lake Tribune | date=March 4, 2010 | access-date=April 1, 2010}}</ref> The next recorded inhabitants were the [[Fremont culture|Fremont people]] who lived in the Utah Lake area from about 400 AD to about 1350 AD. They consisted of small villages of hunters and farmers. They farmed corn, squash, and beans.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jackson|Stevens|1981|p=11}}</ref> When climatic conditions changed, they caused trouble for farming. Also, the ancestors to the [[Ute Tribe|Ute]], [[Southern Paiute|Paiute]], and [[Northwestern Shoshone]] moved into the area. As a result, the Fremont people left the area.<ref>{{Harvnb|Madsen|2002|pp=13–14}}</ref>

The third group inhabited the area was the Utes of central Utah and eastern Colorado. The Timpanogot (also called [[Timpanogos]], Timpanogotzi, Timpannah, and Tempenny) band of the Utes inhabited Utah Valley.<ref>{{Harvnb|Janetski|1990|p=32}}</ref>  They were the most dominant band of Utes due to the relative ease of gathering the plentiful local food supply.<ref>{{cite book|last=Cuch|first=Forrest S|title=History of Utah's American Indians|publisher=University Press of Colorado|year=2000|page=177}}</ref> It was a sacred meeting place for the Timpanogos, [[Ute people|Ute]] and [[Shoshone]] tribes.<ref>[http://www.blackhawkproductions.com/fortutah.htm Fort Utah and Battle Creek 1849-50]</ref> During the spring spawning season, these tribes would meet at Utah Lake for the annual fish festival.  At the festival, there was dancing, singing, trading, horse races, gambling, and feasting on the plentiful fish the lake provided.  It was also an opportunity to find a mate from another clan.<ref name=TimpanogosHistory>[http://www.timpanogostribe.com/history.html History of the Timpanogos Tribe]</ref>  In 1826, [[Jedediah Smith]] visited a camp along the Spanish Fork river that had 35 lodges with about 175 people.<ref>{{Harvnb|Janetski|1990|pp=34–36}}</ref>

===European explorers===
Franciscan missionary [[Silvestre Vélez de Escalante]], while on his expedition in late summer and early autumn of 1776, was trying to find a land route from [[Santa Fe, New Mexico|Santa Fe]], [[New Mexico]] to [[Monterey]], [[California]]. Two Timpanogots from Utah Valley acted as guides for his party. On September 23, 1776, the party traveled down [[Spanish Fork Canyon]] and entered the Utah Valley.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://historytogo.utah.gov/utah_chapters/trappers,_traders,_and_explorers/dominguez-escalanteexpedition.html | title=Dominguez-Escalante Expedition | work=Utah History to Go | publisher=Utah State Historical Society | access-date=March 27, 2010}}</ref> From Escalante's journal, he describes Utah Lake: "The lake, which must be six leagues wide and fifteen leagues long, extends as far as one of these valleys. It runs northwest through a narrow passage, and according to what they told us, it communicates with others much larger.  This lake of Timpanogotzis abounds in several kinds of good fish, geese, beaver, and other amphibious animals which did not have an opportunity to see. Round about it is these Indians, who live on the abundant fish of the lake, for which reason the Yutas Sabuaganas call them "Come Pescados" (Fish Eaters).  Besides this, they gather in the plain grass seeds from which they make [[atole]], which they supplement by hunting hares, rabbits, and fowl of which there is great abundance here."<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.mith2.umd.edu/eada/gateway/diario/diary.html#september25 | title=Derrotero y Diario | work=Early Americas digital archive | publisher=Maryland Institute for Technology in the Humanities | access-date=March 27, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928071254/http://www.mith2.umd.edu/eada/gateway/diario/diary.html#september25 | archive-date=September 28, 2011 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> Escalante named the lake Lake Timpanogos, after the tribe living in the area. Escalante's record clearly distinguishes between this Lake Timpanogos, a body of freshwater that he saw and sized, and the Great Salt Lake, which he did not see or name but was described to him as a river "communicates with others much larger." The next recorded European visitor was [[Étienne Provost]], a French-Canadian trapper who visited Utah Lake in October 1824.<ref>{{Harvnb|Journal_of_W.A._Ferris|1941|pp=105–106}}</ref>  The city of Provo and the Provo River are named after him.

===Early settlement by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints===
[[Image:View of Fort Utah, on the Timpanogos.jpg|thumb|left|Illustration of Fort Utah in 1850]]
The settlement of Utah by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began in July 1847, when pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bancroft|1889|p=262}}</ref> Under the direction of [[Parley P. Pratt]], an exploration of Utah Valley was conducted. The party brought a small boat in which they explored Utah Lake and caught fish with their nets.<ref>{{Harvnb|Jensen|1924|p=31}}</ref>  The first battle between settlers and Indians occurred in early March 1849. A company of forty men was sent into Utah Valley to stop the stealing of cattle from the Salt Lake Valley. The company met in the village of Little Chief, who told them where the people responsible for the stealing were located. A skirmish took place in which four Timpanogots were killed. The settlers named the site of the skirmish Battle Creek, which was later renamed [[Pleasant Grove, Utah|Pleasant Grove]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Farmer|2008|p=62}}</ref><ref name="Holzapfel 1999 41">{{cite book|last=Holzapfel|first=RN|title=A History of Utah County|publisher=Utah State Historical Society|year=1999|page=41}}</ref>

In April 1849, a group of about thirty families came into Utah Valley and settled on the Provo River, very close to the main Timpanogot village on the Provo River. The settlers built a [[stockade]] called [[Fort Utah]] and armed it with a [[twelve-pound cannon]] to intimidate the Timpanogots.<ref name="Farmer 2008 64-65">{{Harvnb|Farmer|2008|pp=64–65}}</ref> In August, a Timpanogot named Old Bishop was murdered by three settlers over a shirt they wanted from him.<ref name="Farmer 2008 64-65"/><ref>{{Citation | url=http://historytogo.utah.gov/salt_lake_tribune/history_matters/110500.html | title=Murdered Ute's Ghost Haunts Utah History | newspaper=Salt Lake Tribune | date=November 5, 2000 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref> Some Timpanogots shot at cattle or stole corn in response. Winter was especially hard, and Timpanogots stole cattle for food. By January 1850, settlers of Fort Utah reported to officials in Salt Lake City that the situation was getting dangerous. They wanted a military party to attack the Timpanogots. A militia was sent from Salt Lake City, and on February 8 and 11, they engaged the Timpanogots in battle. On February 14, eleven Timpanogots surrendered but were later executed while their families watched. A government surgeon went to the execution site and cut off the Timpanogots' heads for later examination. One militia man and 102 Timpanogots were killed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Farmer|2008|pp=70–76}}</ref> Over the ensuing years, fewer and fewer Timpanogots lived in Utah Valley, and by 1872, all Timpanogots had moved to the [[Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation]]. However, some Timpanogots occasionally returned to fish on Utah Lake into the 1920s.<ref name="Holzapfel 1999 41"/>

Captain [[Howard Stansbury]] of the United States Army's Corps of Topographical Engineers was ordered to map, survey, and explore Utah and Salt Lake Valleys. In 1850, Captain Stansbury explored Utah Lake and Utah Valley,<ref>{{Harvnb|Stansbury|1852|pp=215}}</ref> surveyed<ref>{{Harvnb|Stansbury|1852|p=297}}</ref> and made observation of the local wildlife.<ref>{{Harvnb|Stansbury|1852|pp=307–397}}</ref>

==Ecosystem==
Historically, there have been four species of [[amphibia]], twelve species of reptiles, thirteen species of fish, 152 species of birds, and forty-two species of [[mammals]] found in the environs of Utah Lake.<ref>{{Harvnb|Pritchett|Frost|Tanner|1981|p=128}}</ref><ref name="Native fish community">{{Citation | url=http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/utah-nati.html | title=Native fish community | work=Utah Lake | publisher=June Sucker recovery and implementation program | access-date=April 9, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210131425/http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/utah-nati.html | archive-date=December 10, 2010 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref>  The dumping of raw sewage, destruction of natural habit, hunting, and the introduction of non-native fish species have taken a toll on the native species in and around the lake.<ref name="Terrestrial_Vertebrates_in_the_Environs_of_Utah_Lake 1981 135">{{Harvnb|Pritchett|Frost|Tanner|1981|p=135}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Heckman|Thompson|White|1981|p=108}}</ref>

Some of the mammals that live around the lake are the [[big brown bat]], the [[silver-haired bat]], [[mule deer]], [[Botta's pocket gopher]], [[desert woodrat]], and [[striped skunk]]. There is seventeen known native [[mollusca]] to Utah Lake. Only three were reported in the lake ecosystem in 1969, and one species is extinct.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|p=75}}</ref> The last living example of the [[thickshell pondsnail]] (''Stagnicola utahensis''), a freshwater snail, was reportedly seen in the early 1930s. Four specimens were sent to the [[Smithsonian Institution]] in 1911 and the only known location for the snail was Utah Lake.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rare,_Imperiled,_and_Recently_Extinct_or_Extirpated_Mollusks_of_Utah|1999|pp=90–92}}</ref>

===Birds===
During the 1800s and the 1930s, killing fish-eating birds were seen as a fish conservation measure. Local government entities gave bounties, and upon presenting evidence of offending dead birds, game officers paid the bounties.<ref name="Terrestrial_Vertebrates_in_the_Environs_of_Utah_Lake 1981 135"/> A report by a hunter states, "There was a bounty paid on cranes and heron in 1895. Two men could make as high as $66 a day. Wading into the rookeries with their pants off they would crack the heron over the head. When the bounty was paid on pelican we would use a fish float tide to a wad of rushes. Gulls were also caught. There has been 10,000 slaughtered. At the Big Channel gidls have been shot and there are four or five hundred pelicans which have been shot. In 1928 I killed 1,240 mudhens [coot]. We would eat the hearts and gizzards, take the feathers and oil and discard the rest."<ref name="Terrestrial_Vertebrates_in_the_Environs_of_Utah_Lake 1981 135"/>

[[File:Pelicans and ducks at Utah Lake.JPG|thumb|left|Pelicans and ducks at Utah Lake, April 2010]]
The Utah Lake wetland ecosystem is an important breeding area and stopover for migratory birds in the Pacific Flyway. Today, about 226 species of birds use the lake as their permanent home or as a stopover on their migration. The Utah Lake Wetland Preserve has been established at the south end of Utah Lake. It contains two units, one at Goshen bay with more than {{convert|21750|acre|km2}} of land preserved, and another unit at Benjamin Slough.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.mitigationcommission.gov/wetlands/wetlands_ulwp.html | title=Utah Lake Wetlands Preserve | publisher=Utah Reclamation Mitigation Conservation Commission | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>  Birds seen at Utah Lake include [[sandhill crane]], [[double-crested cormorant]], [[great horned owl]], [[turkey vulture]], [[golden eagle]], [[cinnamon teal]] duck, and [[mallard duck]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|pp=77–78}}</ref>

===Fish===
[[Parley P. Pratt]] visited Fort Utah in June 1849 and saw thousands of fish caught by settlers and Timpanogots. He estimated that 5000 barrels of fish could be secured annually from the fishery.<ref>{{Harvnb|Heckman|Thompson|White|1981|p=119}}</ref> The winter of 1885–1886 caused much of the livestock to die. Leaders of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] elders sent members in the Salt Lake Valley to Utah Lake to obtain fish; an estimated {{convert|96000|lb|kg}} of fish were brought back.<ref>{{Citation | title=In hungry times, Utah Lake was a Savior | newspaper=Daily Herald | location=Provo, Utah | date=December 28, 2003}}</ref> The first commercial fishery also started the same year. At the 1870 [[General Conference (LDS Church)|General Conference]] of the LDS Church, a committee was appointed to develop fish culture because of the declining fish harvest in Utah Lake. By 1904, it became illegal to commercially catch any fish except for non-native species.<ref>{{Harvnb|Heckman|Thompson|White|1981|pp=113–116}}</ref>

At least 25 species have been introduced into Utah Lake's waters. Thirteen introductions were unsuccessful. Carp, largemouth bass, [[white bass]], [[black bullhead]], [[channel catfish]], [[walleye]], [[goldfish]], [[yellow perch]], [[blue gill]], and [[black crappie]] are found in abundance.<ref>{{Harvnb|Heckman|Thompson|White|1981|pp=109–110}}</ref>  The [[golden shiner]] and the [[fathead minnow]] are rarely found.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|p=78}}</ref>

Of the thirteen species of fish native to Utah Lake, one species is [[extinct]] (the [[Utah Lake sculpin]]), one is no longer present in the lake and is under review to see if it qualifies for protection under the Endangered Species Act ([[least chub]]),<ref>{{Harvnb|90-Day_Finding_on_a_Petition_To_List_the_Least_Chub|2008|pp=1–9}}</ref> one is already listed as endangered (the [[June sucker]]), and one is found in relative abundance throughout Utah (the [[Utah sucker]]). All other native fish are no longer extant in the lake.<ref name="Native fish community"/>

The [[Bonneville cutthroat trout]] was historically the top predator fish in the ecosystem but is now restricted to tributary streams.<ref name="Native fish community"/> A review in 2008 indicates that viable populations are distributed throughout its historic range and do not merit listing as a threatened or endangered species.<ref>{{Harvnb|Bonneville_Cutthroat_Trout_as_Threatened_or_Endangered|2008|pp=1–22}}</ref>

The Utah Lake sculpin was last found in 1928 and likely became extinct in the 1930s after severe drought lowered the lake levels, allowing much of the lake to freeze, overcrowding fish in unfrozen portions of the lake. This overcrowding and pollution from agricultural runoff are probable causes of the fish's extinction.<ref>[http://dwrcdc.nr.utah.gov/rsgis2/Search/Display.asp?FlNm=cottechi Utah Lake sculpin], ''Utah Conservation Data Center''</ref>

The [[Bonneville redside shiner]], [[mottled sculpin]], [[Lepidomeda copei|leatherside chub]], [[Utah chub]], [[speckled dace]], [[longnose dace]], [[mountain whitefish]] and [[mountain sucker]] are no longer in the lake, but still exist in tributaries.<ref name="Native fish community"/>

The June sucker was federally listed as an endangered species in 1986. The lower {{convert|5|mi|km}} of the Provo River is the only known spawning location for the species.<ref>{{Harvnb|Final_Rule_Determining_the_June_Sucker|1986|pp=1–7}}</ref> Biologists have been rearing the June sucker in Red Butte Reservoir and releasing them into Utah Lake to help build the population.  During the summer of 2005, over 8,000 June sucker were released into Utah Lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.cuwcd.com/redbutte2005/fish_transfers.htm | title=Red Butte fish transfers | work=Red Butte Dam Rehabilitation Project | publisher=Central Utah Water Conservancy District | access-date=April 9, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708214254/http://www.cuwcd.com/redbutte2005/fish_transfers.htm | archive-date=July 8, 2011 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP) coordinates and implements recovery actions for the June sucker.<ref>[http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/ June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program — Utah Lake]. Junesuckerrecovery.org. Retrieved on 2013-07-21.</ref> As of February 3, 2021 the June sucker was officially down-listed from "endangered" to "threatened"; a direct result of conservation efforts made by the JSRIP and its partners.<ref>{{Cite web |title=June Sucker Recovery Implementation {{!}} Utah Lake - History |url=https://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/history |access-date=2024-12-31 |website=www.junesuckerrecovery.org}}</ref> 

[[Image:LakePowellCarp5437.jpg|thumb|right|[[Common carp]], such as these in [[Lake Powell]], are the dominant species of fish in the lake.]]
The [[common carp]] was introduced in 1883 as a source of food after native species had been depleted by [[overfishing]]. It is now the most prevalent fish found in Utah Lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KZQdAAAAIBAJ&pg=1560,916030&dq=canal+jordan-river&hl=en | title=Isciculture in Utah | newspaper=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=November 9, 1889 | access-date=March 29, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Carp_In_Utah_Lake_Impacting_Ecosystem|2004|p=1}}</ref>  Carp makes up about 90% of the lake's [[biomass]],<ref>{{Harvnb|Effects_of_common_carp|2006|p=87}}</ref> with an adult population numbering around 7.5 million. The average carp in the lake is about {{convert|5.3|lb|kg}}, for a total of nearly {{convert|40000000|lb|kg}} of carp in the lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,615152300,00.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730100659/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,615152300,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=July 30, 2012 | title=Utah Lake is overrun with carp | publisher=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=September 22, 2005 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

As early as 1901, fish and wildlife representatives noted that carp were causing the trout population in the lake to collapse.<ref name="DN Save the Lake"/> Due to their habit of grubbing through bottom sediments for food, carp stir up sediments and increase the turbidity of the water. In addition, they destroy submerged vegetation that holds sediments in place and provides shelter for native fish populations. Without vegetation, winds can more easily stir up sediment from the bottom of the lake, which is already a problem due to the lake's shallowness, resulting in greater turbidity and less sunlight reaching the remaining vegetation. Without cover for their young, native fish, such as the June sucker, become easy prey for white bass, walleye, and other predators.<ref>{{Harvnb|Effects_of_common_carp|2006|pp=85–86}}</ref>

Efforts are underway to reduce the population of carp in Utah Lake by employing local commercial fishermen, led by Bill Loy, Jr., to remove 5 million pounds of carp each year as part of the June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program's efforts to restore Utah Lake to a habitat in which the June sucker can survive. The intent is to cause a crash in the carp population which will allow the ecosystem to begin to rebuild and the June sucker to reestablish dominance in the lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705335970/Utah-Lakes-carp-catch-could-reach-6-million-pounds.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091015045208/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705335970/Utah-Lakes-carp-catch-could-reach-6-million-pounds.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 15, 2009 | title=Utah Lake's carp catch could reach 6 million pounds | publisher=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=October 10, 2009 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}</ref>

The Utah Lake Commission has previously stated its goal is to remove 32 million pounds of carp from the lake, and more than 17 million pounds have been removed as of November 2019.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://www.ksl.com/article/46683132/the-success-story-behind-conserving-the-endangered-june-sucker-in-utah-lake | title= The success story behind conserving the endangered June sucker in Utah Lake | publisher=KSL TV | location=Salt Lake City | date=November 30, 2019 | access-date=December 31, 2019}}</ref>

==Recreation==
Due to its proximity to the [[Provo, Utah|Provo]]-[[Orem, Utah|Orem]] [[metropolitan area]], Utah Lake is a fairly popular destination.  From the 1880s to the 1930s, up to twelve resorts offering boat rentals, picnic facilities, dance halls, swimming pools, and bathhouses served tourists at the lake.<ref name="Lake stat"/> Saratoga Springs, on the north shore, was the most popular and longest-lived resort.  Saratoga Springs was best known for its natural hot springs but also had waterslides and amusement park rides. It lasted from the 1860s until the floods of 1984.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|pp=52–53}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|p=55}}</ref>  In the summer, [[fishing]], [[water skiing]], [[boating]], [[camping]], and [[picnicking]] are the most popular activities. During the winter, [[ice fishing]], [[ice hockey]], and [[ice skating]] are popular on the lake, especially at [[Utah Lake State Park]], and Lincoln Beach. The main [[marina]] for Utah Lake is at [[Utah Lake State Park]] on the lake's eastern shore. Other marinas are at Saratoga Springs, [[American Fork, Utah|American Fork]], [[Lindon, Utah|Lindon]], and Lincoln Beach.<ref>{{Harvnb|Utah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan|2005|pp=60–61}}</ref>

==Legal issues==
The ownership of lands along the shoreline of Utah Lake has been in dispute between the State of Utah and farmers for many years. The bed of Utah Lake, along with other natural lakes, was granted to the state upon admission to the Union in 1896. However, due to the lack of an exact definition and significantly fluctuating lake levels, intermittently dry areas, and wetlands, including all of Provo Bay, have been claimed and farmed by surrounding land owners.<ref>{{Citation | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=18soAAAAIBAJ&pg=5055,6818339 | title=Supreme Court to decide who owns Utah Lake bed | publisher=Deseret News | location=Salt Lake City | date=October 15, 1986 | access-date=April 9, 2010}}</ref>  The U.S. [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] ruled in 1987 that the State of Utah owned the land beneath Utah Lake.<ref>{{Citation | url=http://openjurist.org/482/us/193/utah-division-of-state-lands-v-united-states | title=482 US 193 Utah Division of State Lands v. United States | year=1987 | volume=US | issue=482 | page=193 | publisher=Open Jurist | access-date=April 9, 2010| last1=Court | first1=United States Supreme }}</ref>

In January 2018, the Utah Department of Natural Resources received a project proposal as a potential solution to the lake's nutrient pollution, invasive species, and murky water.<ref>Known for toxic algae, Utah Lake could become a housing development for half a million people. The Salt Lake Tribune Available at: https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/01/20/why-this-developer-believes-it-makes-sense-to-build-a-city-in-the-middle-of-utah-lake/</ref> The project proposal involved dredging the lake bottom of all nutrient-loaded sediment, replacing invasive plant and animal species with native species, and restoring the water quality before building and developing housing on arch-shaped islands. The proposal became known as the Utah Lake Restoration project,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://utahlakerestoration.com/|title=Utah Lake Restoration Project|last=ULRP|website=Utah Lake Restoration|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-25}}</ref> and had an estimated cost of $6.4 billion which would be obtained through private investors.<ref>Utah Lake Restoration – A Comprehensive Solution. Available at: http://utahlakerestoration.com/</ref> The proposal led to the creation of the House Bill 272 - Utah Lake Amendments (HB 272), which asserted that Utah Lake faced serious challenges, that conservation and restoration were possible, and in the interest of the state, and authorized "the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands to dispose of state land in exchange for the execution of a project for the comprehensive restoration of Utah Lake," an act which would otherwise be prohibited. On March 21, 2018, Governor [[Gary Herbert]] signed HB 272 into law.<ref>ULRP. H.B. 272 Utah Lake Amendments. Utah Lake Restoration Available at: http://utahlakerestoration.com/2018/03/h-b-272-utah-lake-amendments/</ref>

Critics of the project include ecologists and other scientists raising hydrologic and ecological concerns with the project. Specific issues include the fact that the project would likely lead to the creation of [[anoxic waters]] due to [[lake stratification]], the destruction of the lake's unique hydrology and biogeochemistry, the release of toxins and nutrients, altering the lake from its natural state, and geology unsuitable for supporting inhabited islands.<ref>News D. 2018. Op-ed: The present, future, and past of Utah Lake. Deseret News Available at: https://www.deseret.com/2018/3/8/20641364/op-ed-the-present-future-and-past-of-utah-lake</ref><ref>Commentary: Keep Utah Lake shallow and wet. The Salt Lake Tribune Available at: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2018/03/10/commentary-keep-utah-lake-shallow-and-wet/</ref> Other critics disputed the passing of HB272 as an attempt to trade sovereign lands in exchange for a service.<ref>Commentary: HB272 should be vetoed because Utah Lake is not for sale. The Salt Lake Tribune Available at: https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2018/03/21/commentary-hb272-should-be-vetoed-because-utah-lake-is-not-for-sale/</ref> The ability of the developer to maintain the alterations to the lake after the completion of the project has also been brought into question.

In October 2022, permitting for the Utah Lake Restoration project was put on hold, according to the [[U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]], because of a lack of documentation required to win federal permits under the [[Clean Water Act]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maffly |first1=Brian |title=Army Corps pauses Utah Lake dredging permit, citing lack of documentation supporting the project |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2022/10/12/army-corps-pauses-utah-lake/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |agency=Salt Lake Tribune |date=13 October 2022}}</ref>

On October 27, 2022, Utah’s Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands rejected the proposal by Lake Restoration Solutions. The division director Jamie Barnes said that the lake bed is sovereign state land and cannot be privatized.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Winslow |first1=Ben |title=Utah Lake islands project is rejected by state officials |url=https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/utah-lake-islands-project-is-rejected-by-state-officials |access-date=31 October 2022 |agency=Fox 13 Salt Lake City |date=27 October 2022}}</ref>

==Environmental concerns==

In 2008, Utah Lake's [[Common carp|carp]] and [[channel catfish]] were found to be contaminated by [[polychlorinated biphenyls]], also known as PCB's.  After an investigation, no originating source for the PCBs was found.<ref>Speckman, Stephen [https://www.deseret.com/2008/10/28/20282664/no-smoking-gun-found-in-utah-lake-pcb-study"No Smoking Gun Found In Utah Lake PCB Study"], ''[[Deseret News]]'', Utah, 28 October 2008.</ref>

The lake was closed due to contamination from [[Harmful algal bloom|toxic algae]] in 2016, 2018,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Maffly |first1=Brian |title=Stay out of Utah Lake, health officials warn, as algal danger spreads Stay out of Utah Lake, health officials warn, as algal danger spreads |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/environment/2018/08/08/stay-out-utah-lake-health/ |access-date=7 December 2020 |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=9 August 2018}}</ref> and 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donaldson |first1=Sahalie |title=Officials begin pilot testing treatments to combat Utah Lake's issues with harmful algal blooms |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/6/27/21300502/officials-begin-pilot-testing-treatments-algal-blooms-utah-lake |access-date=7 December 2020 |work=Deseret News |date=27 June 2020}}</ref>

==Recovery efforts==

===June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program (JSRIP)===
The [[June Sucker]] is a species of fish endemic to Utah Lake and its tributaries. The June Sucker is a key indicator species for the overall health of the ecosystem. Though listed as endangered in 1986 after ecosystem degradation and invasive species concentration, thanks to the efforts of the JSRIP, the June Sucker was downlisted to “threatened” on February 3, 2021. Actions taken to recover the June Sucker include non-native species removal, specifically carp and Northern pike; increasing the population through stocking and monitoring; and restoring and maintaining habitat, including the tributaries Hobble Creek and the Provo River.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://esj-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/1438-390X.12005|doi = 10.1002/1438-390X.12005|title = Demography of an endangered, long-lived fish: Informing management options in the face of cyclic and stochastic climate variation|year = 2019|last1 = Belk|first1 = Mark C.|last2 = Tuckfield|first2 = R. Cary|journal = Population Ecology|volume = 61|issue = 3|pages = 349–360| bibcode=2019PopEc..61..349B |s2cid = 164771775}}</ref>

====Provo River Delta Restoration Project====
In an effort to recover the June Sucker and restore the area’s natural ecosystem, the Provo River Delta Restoration Project is an ongoing process in which a large portion of the lower [[Provo River]] flow is diverted into a series of channels and wetlands before reaching Utah Lake. The restored delta area provides a habitat for juvenile June Suckers to grow to a survivable size.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02701.x|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02701.x|title=Residence time and drift patterns of larval June sucker Chasmistes liorus in the lower Provo River as determined by otolith microstructure|year=2010|last1=Ellsworth|first1=C. M.|last2=Belk|first2=M. C.|last3=Keleher|first3=C. J.|journal=Journal of Fish Biology|volume=77|issue=3|pages=526–537|pmid=20701638|bibcode=2010JFBio..77..526E }}</ref> The project also provides for improved trail and river access, fishing platforms, and other recreational facilities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.provoriverdelta.us/prjmap|title = Project Map}}</ref> The project began in 2020 and is expected to be completed in 2024.

===Phragmites removal===
[[Phragmites]] is an aggressive, invasive plant species that dominates a large portion of the Utah Lake shoreline. Since 2014,  a large-scale collaborative effort has been underway to mitigate the negative effects of the species through the use of herbicides and crushing techniques. Reports in 2020 indicated a 70% decrease in phragmites.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/4ba238d169f043f89e1eec1c37d066cd|title=Utah Lake Phragmites Control|date=14 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://utahlake.org/phragmites/ | title=Phragmites &#124; Utah Lake Official Website | work=Utah Lake Official Website | date=19 March 2019 }}</ref>

===Utah Lake Water Quality Study (ULWQS)===
The purpose of the ULWQS is to gather data on the nutrient concentrations (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus) in Utah Lake and develop nutrient criteria to protect the ecosystem. Phase 1 of the project, Data Gathering, was completed in 2018.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200126073810/https://documents.deq.utah.gov/water-quality/locations/utah-lake/DWQ-2019-001841.pdf Water Quality Locations. Utah Lake 2019]</ref> Phase 2, Developing Criteria, is currently underway and will be followed by Phase 3, Implementation.

==Utah Lake folklore==
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were several reported sightings of strange creatures in the lake, leading to tales of a lake monster with descriptions of the [[cryptid]]'s appearance varying from being reptilian with an alligator's head to being seal-like.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=D. Robert |title=Fishermen find Utah Lake Monster |url=https://www.heraldextra.com/news/2006/may/13/fishermen-find-utah-lake-monster/ |access-date=7 December 2020 |work=Deseret News |date=27 June 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Utah|Geography}}
*[[Lake Bonneville]]
*[[Great Salt Lake]]
*[[Jordan River (Utah)|Jordan River]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==Bibliography==

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* {{Citation | last=Madsen | first=David B. | title=Exploring the Fremont | publisher=Utah Museum Natural History | location=Salt Lake City | year=2002 | isbn=978-0-940378-35-3}}
* {{Citation | last=Stansbury | first=Howard | title=Exploration and Survey of the valley of the Great Salt Lake of Utah | publisher=United States Senate | year=1852 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7nUUAAAAYAAJ | access-date=March 27, 2010}}
{{Refend}}

===Journal articles===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFJournal_of_W.A._Ferris1941 | last=Alter | first=Cecil | title=Journal of W.A. Ferris 1830–1835 | journal=Utah Historical Quarterly | volume=9 | year=1941| doi=10.2307/45057569 | jstor=45057569 | s2cid=254445343 }}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFThe_Aboriginal_Peoples1960 | last=Jennings | first=Jesse D. | title=The Aboriginal Peoples | journal=Utah Historical Quarterly | volume=28 | issue=5 | year=1960| pages=210–221 | doi=10.2307/45058195 | jstor=45058195 | s2cid=254442584 }}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFEffects_of_common_carp2006 | last1=Miller | first1= S. A. | last2=Crowl | first2=T. A. | title=Effects of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on macrophytes and invertebrate communities in a shallow lake | journal=Freshwater Biology | volume=51 | year=2006 | issue=1 | doi=10.1111/j.1365-2427.2005.01477.x | url=http://carpbusters.com/documents/Miller%20et%20al%202006%20carp%20effects%20on%20plants%20and%20invertebrates.pdf  | access-date=April 10, 2010 | page=85 | bibcode=2006FrBio..51...85M | citeseerx=10.1.1.497.3430 }}
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* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFLake_Bonneville_fluctuations_and_global_climate_change1997 | last=Oviatt | first=Charles G. | title=Lake Bonneville fluctuations and global climate change | journal=Geology | volume=25 | issue=2 | date=February 1997 | pages=155–158 | doi=10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0155:LBFAGC>2.3.CO;2| bibcode=1997Geo....25..155O }}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Wood |editor-first=Stephen L |title=Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs |publisher=Brigham Young University |date=1981 |volume=5 |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbnm/vol5/iss1/}}
**{{harvc |in=Wood |year=1981 | last1=Brimhall | first1=Willis H. | last2=Merritt | first2=Lavere B. |contribution=Geology of Utah Lake: Implications for Resource Management |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1011&context=gbnm}}
**{{harvc |in=Wood |year=1981 | last1=Fuhriman | first1=Dean K. | last2=Merritt | first2=Lavere B. | last3=Miller | first3=A. Woodruff | last4=Stock | first4=Harold S. |contribution=Hydrology and Water Quality of Utah Lake |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbnm/vol5/iss1/4}}
**{{harvc |in=Wood |year=1981 | last1=Heckman | first1=Richard A. | last2=Thompson | first2=Charles W. | last3=White | first3=David A. |contribution=Fishes of Utah Lake |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbnm/vol5/iss1/8}}
**{{harvc |in=Wood |year=1981 | last1=Jackson | first1=Richard H. | last2=Stevens | first2=Dale J. |contribution=Physical and Cultural Environment of Utah Lake and Adjacent Areas |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbnm/vol5/iss1/2}}
**{{harvc |in=Wood |year=1981 | last1=Pritchett | first1=Clyde L. | last2=Frost | first2=Herbert H. | last3=Tanner | first3=Wilmer W. |contribution=Terrestrial Vertebrates in the Environs of Utah Lake  |url=https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbnm/vol5/iss1/9}} | ref=CITEREFTerrestrial_Vertebrates_in_the_Environs_of_Utah_Lake1981
{{Refend}}

===PDF documents===
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFBonneville_Cutthroat_Trout_as_Threatened_or_Endangered2008 | url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/fish/bct/73FR52235.pdf | title=12-Month_Finding_on_a_Petition_To_List_the_Bonneville_Cutthroat_Trout_as_Threatened_or_Endangered | publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | date=September 9, 2008 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREF90-Day_Finding_on_a_Petition_To_List_the_Least_Chub2008 | url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/fish/leastchub/73FR61007.pdf | title=90-Day_Finding_on_a_Petition_To_List_the_Least_Chub | publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | date=October 15, 2008 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFCarp_In_Utah_Lake_Impacting_Ecosystem2004 | url=http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/pdfs/june24.pdf | title=Carp In Utah Lake Impacting Ecosystem | publisher=June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program | date=June 2004 | access-date=March 29, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719050649/http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/pdfs/june24.pdf | archive-date=July 19, 2011 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFFinal_Rule_Determining_the_June_Sucker1986 | url=http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr1103.pdf | title=Final_Rule_Determining_the_June_Sucker | publisher=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | date=March 31, 1986 | access-date=April 10, 2010}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFMajor_Levels_of_Great_Salt_Lake_and_Lake_Bonneville1984 | url=http://ugspub.nr.utah.gov/publications/geologicmaps/M-73.pdf | title=Major Levels of Great Salt Lake and Lake Bonneville | first1=Donald R. | last1=Currey | first2=Genevieve | last2=Atwood | first3=Don R. | last3=Mabey | publisher=State of Utah, Department of Natural Resources | date=May 1984 | access-date=April 6, 2010}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFUtah_Lake_and_Jordan_River_Water_Management_Plan1989 | url=http://www.slcgov.com/utilities/PDF%20Files/utah&jordan.PDF | title=Utah Lake and Jordan River water rights and management plan | publisher=Salt Lake City | year=1989 | access-date=March 28, 2010}}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFUtah_Lake_Comprehensive_Management_Plan2005 | last=Horns | first=Daniel | title=Utah Lake Comprehensive Management Plan Resource Document | publisher=Utah Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands | date=May 2005 | url=http://www.ffsl.utah.gov/sovlands/UtahLake/UtahLakeReport.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918024246/http://www.ffsl.utah.gov/sovlands/UtahLake/UtahLakeReport.pdf | access-date=April 6, 2010| archive-date=2009-09-18 }}
* {{Citation | ref=CITEREFUtah_Lake_TMDL2007 | title=Utah Lake TMDL: Pollutant Loading Assessment and Designated Beneficial Use Impairment Assessment | publisher=State of Utah Division of Water Quality | date=August 2007 | url=http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/Final_Draft_Task2_Task3_Memo%20_08-01-07.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100819002800/http://www.waterquality.utah.gov/TMDL/Final_Draft_Task2_Task3_Memo%20_08-01-07.pdf | access-date=April 7, 2010| archive-date=2010-08-19 }}
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Utah Lake}}
{{NIE Poster}}
* [http://www.junesuckerrecovery.org/ June Sucker Recovery Implementation Program]
* [http://utahlakecommission.org/ Utah Lake Commission]
* [http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utah-lake Utah Lake State Park]
* [http://www.mitigationcommission.gov/wetlands/wetlands_ulwp.html Utah Lake Wetland Preserve]
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060528022917/http://www.utahfishinginfo.com/utahlakes/utahlake.php Utah Lake fishing]}}
* [http://www.wasatchwater.org/category/special-series-utah-lake/ Wasatch Water Review - Utah Lake]
* [http://utahlakecommission.org/ Utah Lake Commission - The Official Website of Utah Lake]

{{Provo, Utah}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lakes of Utah]]
[[Category:Lakes of the Great Basin]]
[[Category:Lakes of Utah County, Utah]]
[[Category:Hot springs of Utah]]
[[Category:Great Salt Lake watershed]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Utah County, Utah]]