Here’s how much water is flowing into the Great Salt Lake as the snow melts

About 37% more water flows into the Salt Lake from its tributaries than in a typical year, according to federal data.

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About 37% more water flows into the Salt Lake from its tributaries than in a typical year, according to federal data.

As of Sunday, nearly 1.62 million acre-feet of water had flowed from gauges in the Bear River, Weber River, Goggin Drain and Farmington Bay outlet leading to the lake since Oct. 1, 2023, data from the U.S. Geological Survey show.

The average cumulative flow for these four gauges as of May 19 is 1.18 million acre-feet. (An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons).

Storms in late January, February and March have made a telling difference in reservoir levels and water flow.

As of last week, many reservoirs across the state were more than 90% full. Only two are below 60%: Yuba Reservoir in Juab and Sanpete counties and Lake Powell.

As the state releases water from reservoirs, it flows from some of them through other creeks, streams, and rivers until it reaches tributaries of the Great Salt Lakes.

Most of the 1.62 million acre-feet, more than 527 billion gallons, that have flowed to the lake so far this water year has risen along the Bear River.

According to USGS data, about 838,000 acre-feet flowed past the gauge on the North Branch between Oct. 1, 2023, and May 19 of this year.

That’s about 5% more than this point in water year 2023, and nearly 119% more than the same time in water year 2022.

More water than last year is also flowing from gauges in the Goggin drainage, where 226,000 acre-feet have passed. That’s more than double the inflows since this time last year and about 730% more than the 2022 water year as of May 19.

Water flow has increased in the Weber River and Farmington Bay outlet compared to 2022, but there is less movement past these gauges so far this water year than in 2023.

Since Oct. 1, 290,000 acre-feet of water and 265,000 acre-feet have passed gauges on the Weber River and causeway at Farmington Bay, respectively.

Lake levels are rising on both the north and south flanks.

Overall, lake levels remain low, but are about 4,195 feet of the level needed to avoid negative effects that harm overall ecosystem health and key species, such as the brine shrimp.

Megan Banta is an enterprise data reporter for the Salt Lake Tribunes. a philanthropically supported position. Tribune retains control over all editorial decisions.