Marina News
July 5th, 2008
Great Salt Lake Marina
Current Conditions
Lake Level 4195.6
Lake Level Trend Dropping ¯
Water Temperature 82°
Hypothermia Index Exhaustion: Indefinite / Death: Indefinite
Current Flows Bear, Weber/Ogden -> Low / Jordan & Goggins -> Moderate (half knot)
Weather Report
We have now left the spring frontal weather pattern and are now squarly in the Summer Monsoonal weather pattern. This is charactarized by hot, dry weather with afternoon thunderstorms. These thunderstorms develop over the West Desert mountains during the day and then march towards the Great Salt Lake in the later afternoon and evening hours and climax around midnight. Many of these thunderstorms are easy to spot while they develop over the Stansbury Mountains and Stansbuy Island. But others can be very tricky and very dangerous. These are the ones that pop up in the Tooele Valley and pop up over the Oquirrh Mountains with no to little warning. The current weather charts show that we will remian in this pattern for some time now.
The long term forecast (next three months) show above average temperatures and below average precipitation. This is not a good thing for the lake. This will accelerate evaporation. The long term charts for this fall and winter show a more upbeat forecast with average temperatures and precipitation. (Long term forecasts are highly unreliable though).
The Drought reports show no drought conditions for Utah except the extreme north (Bear River Drainage) which show abnormally dry to severe drought. The forecast is for persistant drought conditions in this area only.
What does this all mean? It means a hot, dry summer with dry thunderstorms in the afternoons and evenings bringing potentially dangerous wind/weather conditions to the Great Salt Lake at times. Sailing should be great this summer if you just keep an eye for the thunderheads.
Why Didn't the Lake Come Up This Year?
Boy, with all those reports of a record snowpack, you would think the Great Salt Lake would be having a banner runoff year. Well, we had a great snowpack in the Wasatch Front thanks to the Great Salt Lake.
We had a good fall and early winter for precipitation thanks to the Pacific storms. And then almost nothing. Moisture failed to make it from the the Pacific. Instead we had DRY cold fronts cross the Great Salt Lake. This cold air would hit the relatively warm waters of the Great Salt Lake and suck moisture from the lake. Then these fronts would hit the Wasatch Front and dump Great Salt Lake moisture in them. When we finally warmed up this spring, the water came gushing down out of the mountains . . . . and right into the ground!
Since January 1st we have recorded a -3.18 inch defecit in precipitation. This is a significant defecit. For the water year we have recorded a -1.66 defecit.
There was plenty of snow for skiing. There is now plenty of water in the reservoirs for fishing and water skiing. There is plenty of water in the rivers for kayaking and rafting. There is plenty of water for watering lawns and drinking. All courtesy of the that incredible weather engine - The Great Salt Lake.
Certainly shows how important Great Salt Lake is to the lives of everyone on the Wasatch Front.
River Flow
Surprisingly, we have seen a little bump in water flow from the Bear River. This bump is expected to last for the next ten days, slowly tapering off. This is good news as the Bear River is the greatest river contributer to the Great Salt Lake.
The Ogden river has seen a high spike all the sudden. This spike is expected to last for next little while.
The Weber river is, well . . . doing nothing.
The Jordan River and Goggins drainage are now beginning to decrease in flow. Two weeks ago the currents were running strong with the Goggins current running nearly a knot outside the mouth of the marina. This has now dropped to a half a knot. Still helps though.
None of the rivers are producing enough moisture to stabilize the lake but this may be a short term releif to the heavy evaporation going on right now with the lake.
The Reef Report
Quiet. Thanks!
Deep Channel Buoys vs Reef Channel Buoys
The lake is getting shallow now. We highly recommend you use only the Deep Channel Buoys now. Use the Reef Channel Buoys at your own risk and time (you may wait awhile to be towed off).
Upcoming Services
Wait for news shortly of Ice Services returning to the marina. We are working out the final details.
Upcoming Events
July 9 Wednesday Night Race #8 hosted by GSLYC
July 10 National Parks visits the Great Salt Lake
July 12 Partners Cup hosted by GSLYC
Luau party hosted by GSLYC
Concert at Saltair (Traffic may be difficult at exit 104)
July 16 Wednesday Night Race #9 hosted by GSLYC
Concert at Saltair (traffic may be difficult at exit 104)
July 19 & 20 Summer Regatta #1 hosted by GSLYC
July 19 Concert at Saltair (traffic may be difficult at exit 104)
July 21 Concert at Saltair (traffic may be difficult at exit 104)
July 23 Wednesday Night Special Race hosted by GSLYC
July 24 Pioneer Day - Watch the fireworks from the lake.
July 30 Wednesday Night Race #10 hosted by GSLYC
August 2 & 3 Summer Regatta #2 hosted by GSLYC
August 2 Movie Night hosted by GSLYC
Row For The Cure hosted by GSLR
August 6 Wednesday Night #11 hosted by GSLYC
August 13 Wednesday Night #12 hosted by GSLYC
August 16 Wine & Cheese Raft-up hosted by GSLYC
August 20 Wednesday Night #13 hosted by GSLYC
August 23 & 24 Summer Make-up (if necessary) hosted by GSLYC
Camp Around The Lake hosted by Great Salt Lake State Marina (state parks) *see note below
August 30 &31 Governor's Cup hosted by GSLYC
(If we missed your event, please email me and I will add it to the schedule)
* Camp Around The Lake
We are planning on a road trip around the lake. This road trip will take us up north to Monument Rock, Locomotive Springs, the ghost town of Kelton and the west shore of Great Salt Lake where we plan on camping near Dolphin Island. The next morning we will wander down the Hogup Mountains and the Buenaventura pump and canal. Then down to Lakeside, the Eagle Mountain Bombing Range and then back to the marina.
Gas Prices are quite high now. This may have had an impact on many that were wanting to do this trip. So I am soliciting you for your opinions. Do we continue with the trip as planned? Or do we do a shorter day trip? We have a couple options. The trip around the lake is around 300 miles. Please let me know.
Thank you
Dave Shearer
Harbormaster
Great Salt Lake Marina
Have you checked your docklines lately?
