WEST's Water Quality Field Trip on Great Salt Lake

WEST's Water Quality Field Trip on Great Salt Lake

In October 2006, WEST engaged over 600 elementary and middle school students in an unforgettable research experience on Great Salt Lake.

The trip started with an exploration on the beach to look at ooids (sand grains made out of CaCO₃), pickleweed, brine shrimp, and the ancient shorelines of Lake Bonneville.

WEST Fellows, students, teachers, and scientists from the University of Utah and the U.S. Geological Survey then boarded the Island Serenade and set sail for the "Deep Brine Layer" located southwest of Antelope Island.

On the way to the research station, students monitored the boat's location using a real-time GPS tracking device, learned how to read bathymetric maps, calculated distances and estimated arrival times for the vessel.

Once the boat reached the research station, students measured water depth, secchi disk depth, and took water samples for chlorophyll, sulfide, and density analysis.

Students also netted brine shrimp and examined them under a microscope. There were also several sightings of eared grebes, California gulls, and possibly some buffalo (on Antelope Island)! The whole activity was tied together with a discussion of the Great Salt Lake food web and ecosystem.

Students plotted up their results:

Download WEST's Lesson Plan for the Voyage to Great Salt Lake (please note some copyrighted material).

Download the GSL Water Quality Project Presentation to the American Geophysical Union Meeting (Fall 2006).

Read news coverage of the Great Salt Lake trip here.

WEST would like to thank the sponsors and supporters of this trip:
National Science Foundation
U.S. Geological Survey
Friends of Great Salt Lake
Utah Dept. of Environment Quality-Division of Water Quality (GSL Water Quality Steering Committee)
Lewis Stages
Salt Island Adventures

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