Project Manager and Water Resources Engineer
Jacobs
Bio:
Jeff has worked extensively with Great Salt Lake stakeholders since 2004 to investigate some of the Lake’s most acute challenges and develop and implement collaborative solutions. He has helped craft and implement strategies to develop selenium and nutrient water quality standards for Great Salt Lake, investigate and better understand the hydrology of Great Salt Lake’s shoreline, develop the GSL Integrated Model to understand how future changes in Great Salt Lake’s watershed might affect Great Salt Lake, and facilitate a number of committees that worked to better understand and develop solutions for managing the Lake’s resources.
Title: Why is Selenium in South Shore Bird Eggs on the Rise?
Abstract: The story of Great Salt Lake includes an important and instructive chapter about selenium. In the early 2000s, preliminary laboratory data and proposed discharges raised concerns about potential selenium levels in the Lake. In response, the Division of Water Quality led a comprehensive, multi-year effort from 2004–2008, and found that not only were previous selenium data wrong, but there was also so much that we did not know or understand. Hasty conclusions taught us a lot of humility!
Development of new field and lab methodologies, a new understanding of GSL’s hydrology, chemistry, food web and bird populations, and strong partnerships among agencies, industry, and researchers resulted in the first—and still only— approved numeric water quality criteria for Great Salt Lake. Recognizing the Lake’s unique ecology, those criteria are based not simply on water concentrations, but on conservative selenium levels in the eggs of two shorebird species representative of the open waters of Great Salt Lake: the American avocet and the black-necked stilt. This innovative approach reflected both scientific rigor and a shared commitment to protecting the water quality of the Lake. Importantly, the data also showed selenium concentrations were NOT at levels of concern.
Recently, selenium concentrations in some shoreline bird eggs have shown increases compared to prior sampling periods. Rather than drawing quick conclusions, this group of panel members is taking an early action and preemptive approach by reinvigorating long-standing partnerships-regulators, scientists, industry, and NGOs—to share data, ask questions, and work towards a continued sound, science-based understanding. We invite you to join this panel discussion as we explore what we are learning and help continue to ensure that the story of Great Salt Lake remains a good one.
