Hydrologist and Data Chief

U.S. Geological Survey

Bio:

Ryan Rowland is a Hydrologist and Data Chief at the U.S. Geological Survey, Utah Water Science Center, West Valley City, Utah. During his 20+ year career, he has participated in and lead numerous ground and surface water studies on topics including sulfate reduction in a zero valence iron reactive barrier for uranium sequestration in shallow groundwater, installation and operation of four water quality and weather platforms for hydrodynamic modeling and evaporation estimates for Lake Mead, Nevada and Arizona, uranium transport near an active uranium mill in southeastern Utah, and more recent studies on Great Salt Lake and Bear Lake water quality. He graduated from the University of Utah in 1997 with a B.S. degree in Environmental Earth Science.

Title: Seasonal and Long-Term Salinity Variations at Great Salt Lake, Utah

Abstract: The United States Geological Survey has measured salinity at Great Salt Lake (GSL) over the last several decades. The methods used to measure salinity will be discussed, with an emphasis on the GSL Equation of State, which provides a method for computing salinity of the south arm of GSL using water temperature and density. Seasonal and long-term salinity variation in the south arm of the Lake will be
presented in the context of water surface elevations, surface water inflows, and water exchange between the south and north arms of the lake. Understanding the mechanisms driving salinity variation in the Lake is fundamental to GSL management and is especially relevant during the current period of prolonged drought in the western United States.