Division official presents basinwide schematic and model work for Great Salt Lake integrated plan

Jake Serago, hydrologist with the Utah Division of Water Resources, briefed the Bear River Watershed Council on the Great Salt Lake Basin integrated plan and a basinwide schematic intended to support a multi‑decadal planning model.

The schematic and model are designed to help stakeholders see the “big picture” — major supplies, reservoirs, conveyances and demand centers — so planners can test scenarios for future climates, returns, transfers and habitat outcomes without committing money or construction in the field.

Serago said the project is funded in part by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and by the Utah Legislature. He described the schematic as a tool that shows major surface‑water supplies, groundwater withdrawals (iconized as orange on the draft schematic), major canals and reservoirs, and existing gauges; return flows will be added as their locations are better defined. The schematic also will be used to build a model that allows scenario testing for tradeoffs and system‑wide effects.

“Director Steed … we are building attempting to build this airplane while we’re flying it,” Serago said, paraphrasing the challenge of managing the lake while developing long‑term plans. He asked council members to review printed copies of the draft schematic at the back table, mark corrections and provide contact information so the project team can send electronic copies and follow‑up materials.

Serago noted the model will be iteratively improved and that team members will seek input from watershed councils, water users and resource managers to refine the schematic, add return‑flow mapping and incorporate monitoring data. The schematic is already being developed for other basins (Weber, Jordan, Utah Lake) and will be used to link basin plans with wetland and Great Salt Lake management.