Background Great Salt Lake is of hemispheric importance as both a refueling stop for millions of migratory birds and a nesting area for others. Eighty percent of Utah’s wetlands surround the lake. The mineral extraction industry, duck hunting clubs, and the brine shrimp industry are dependent on the vitality of the lake. Nature enthusiasts flock …
Read MoreGreat Salt Lake Advisory Council 2010 General Session State of Utah General Description This bill enacts the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council Act to create the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council and address related issues. Highlighted Provisions This bill: defines terms; creates the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council; requires designated departments to provide staffing; and …
Read MoreNext Meeting Past Meetings
Read MoreGreat Salt Lake Hydro Mapper The Great Salt Lake Advisory Council is pleased to announce the new Great Salt Lake Hydro Mapper. Developed by USGS, the hydro mapper is an exciting new tool that will provide viewers with up-to-date information on all things Great Salt Lake. Funded by the Great Salt Lake Advisory Council in …
Read MoreAs instructed by House Bill 343, the Council reports annually to the Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee and advises the Governor, the Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality on the sustainable use, protection and development of the Great Salt Lake. 11th Annual Report to the Utah State Legislature (February 2021) …
Read MoreJump to: 2017 2016 2015 Past Meetings 2017 November 8, 2017 Agenda | Audio | Summary September 13, 2017 Agenda | Audio | Summary July 12, 2017 Agenda | Audio | Summary March 8, 2017 Agenda | Audio | Summary January 4, 2017 Agenda | Audio | Summary 2016 November 2, 2016 Agenda | Audio …
Read MoreBy Christine Osborne This week, we take a look back at DEQ’s response to the Gold King Mine release two years ago. On August 5, 2015, EPA contractors were clearing debris from the opening of the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado, when the blockage gave way, releasing three million gallons of acid mine drainage into …
Read MoreEach year, the Utah Water Quality Board considers recommendations for presentation of the Sudweeks Award. The individuals are recognized for contributions to Water Quality using the following criteria: Recipients of the Calvin K. Sudweeks Award Year Name 2022 Ed Macauley, former DWQ Engineering Section Manager 2021 Ken Burgener, Laboratory Director, North Davis Sewer District 2020 …
Read MoreNext Meeting September 21, 2023 11:00 am Join Online Join In-Person Location MASOB195 North 1950 WestRed Rocks Room 3132Salt Lake City, UT 84116 Agenda The Water Quality Board (WQB) will meet to discuss the funding requests made during the Fiscal Year application process. The WQB will discuss available unobligated balances, funding program requirements, and potential …
Read MoreAs a result of legislation passed during the 2012 General Session of the Utah Legislature, changes were made to the make-up of the Utah Water Quality Board (Title 19, Chapter 5, Section 103). These changes may be found on the Legislatures site. These changes took effect on March 1, 2013. Concerns or comments about the …
Read MoreMission The Utah Water Quality Board guides the development of water quality policy and regulations within the state. Members The Water Quality Board is appointed by the governor, with the consent of the senate. The Utah Division of Water Quality is the administrative arm of the board. The board’s makeup is defined by statute in …
Read MoreBy Suzan Tahir Some of you might have heard about harmful algal blooms (HABs), and some of you might not…yet. But HABs are happening nationwide, mostly in the warm summer months. As you know, we have trillions of bacteria (good bacteria and bad bacteria) living in our gut (gastrointestinal tract), and they coexist until something …
Read MoreBy Paul Thompson, Guest Blogger DEQ invites guest bloggers to share their thoughts on issues that impact our environment. We appreciate their insights and the opportunity to broaden the conversation with others in the community Blueheads & Bonnevilles from Western Native Trout Initiative on Vimeo. The Weber River is a world-class stream, and anglers come …
Read MoreBy Kevin Okleberry It was on a bright Monday morning, July 11, 2016, when I walked into the Multi-Agency State Office Building in west Salt Lake City to begin my new job as the Spills Coordinator for the Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ’s) Division of Water Quality (DWQ). I was a bit nervous, but also …
Read MoreBy Amy Dickey Editor’s Note: The recent release of metals-laden sediment from Tibble Fork Reservoir has raised concerns among anglers about heavy-metals contamination in fish in the American Fork River. The Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) is currently collecting live fish downstream from the reservoir and will be testing them for the presence of metals …
Read MoreBy Ben Holcomb Harmful algal blooms have been in the news a lot lately, from the massive scums lining the Florida coast to the blue-green mats that covered Utah Lake and forced its closure. Predicting when these blooms will occur is one of the greatest challenges we face at the Division of Water Quality (DWQ). …
Read More
Air Quality
Drinking Water
Environmental Response and Remediation
Waste Management and Radiation Control
Water Quality
Executive Director’s Office