GREAT SALT

LAKE

THE SALT CONTENT INGREAT SALT LAKE

A VALUABLE RESOURCE

COMPOSITION OF THE SALT

CHANGES IN CONCENTRATION

BALANCE (INS AND OUTS)

MOVEMENT WITHIN THE LAKE

INDUSTRIAL USES

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF GREAT

SALT LAKE BRINE• SODIUM = 32.8%• POTASSIUM = 2.0%• MAGNESIUM = 3.3%• CALCIUM = 0.2%• CHLORIDE = 54.5%• SULFATE = 7.2%• BICARBONATE = VERY LOW• pH = approximately 7.5 to 8.5

EFFECT OFLAKE LEVELON GREATSALT LAKE

BRINESALINITY

SOURCES ANDDEPLETIONS OF SALTIN GREAT SALT LAKE

• TRIBUTARY INFLOW OF SALTS

• REMOVAL THROUGH WEST DESERT PUMPING

• REMOVAL OF SALTS BY INDUSTRIES

• PRECIPITATION DURING LOW WATER

ANNUAL TRIBUTARY INFLOW OF DISSOLVED SALTS TO

GREAT SALT LAKE

• ANNUAL INPUT OF SALT TO THE LAKE IS APPROXIMATELY 2.2 MILLION TONS

SODIUM = 444,671 TONS

POTASSIUM = 26,957 TONS

MAGNESIUM = 94,735 TONS

CALCIUM = 151,986 TONS

CHLORIDE = 456,764 TONS

SULFATE = 219,210 TONS

BICARBONATE = 794,498 TONS

TDS – 2,188,825 TONS

EFFECTIVE INFLOW OF SALTS

• SODIUM = 444,671 TONS• POTASSIUM = 26,957 TONS• MAGNESIUM = 94,735 TONS• CALCIUM = VERY LOW

CHLORIDE = 456,764 TONSSULFATE = 219,210 TONSBICARBONATE = VERY LOWTDS – 1,242,339 TONS

AS RIVERS FLOW INTO GREAT SALT LAKE, CALCIUM, BICARBONATE AND SOME SULFATE PRECIPITATE OUT AS CALCIUM CARBONATE AND GYPSUM. THIS EFFECTIVELY REDUCES THE APPARENT TONS OF DISSOLVED SALTS THAT INTER THE LAKE FROM 2.2 MILLION TONS DOWN TO 1.24 MILLION TONS.

EFFECT OF THE WESTDESERT PUMPING PROGRAM

• APRIL 10, 1987 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1989, 2.73 MILLION ACRE-FEET OF NORTH-ARM BRINE WAS PUMPED FROM GREAT LAKE INTO THE 320,000-ACRE WEST POND

• BECAUSE MORE-CONCENTRATED NORTH-ARM BRINE WAS PUMPED VERSUS SOUTH-ARM BRINE, AS THE PROJECT WAS INITIALLY DESIGNED TO USE, SALT WAS PRECIPITATED IN THE POND RATHER THAN BEING RETURNED TO THE LAKE.

• OVER 500, 000 TONS OF SALT WERE DEPOSITED IN THE WEST POND. THIS AMOUNTED TO 12 TO 14 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF SALT CONTAINED IN GREAT SALT LAKE. RETURN OF THIS SALT TO THE LAKE WILL TAKE A VERY LONG TIME.

REMOVAL OF SALTS FROM GREAT SALT LAKE BY LAKE

INDUSTRIES.• DURING THE PRODUCTION OF SALT, MAGNESIUM METAL,

CHLORINE GAS, POTASSIUM SULFATE, MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, AND NUTRITIONAL PRODUCTS, LAKE BRINE IS PUMPED INTO LARGE SOLAR EVAPORATION PONDS SYSTEMS WHERE IT IS EVAPORATED TO PRODUCE CONCENTRATED BRINES AND/OR SALTS.

• APPROXIMATELY THREE MILLION TONS OF PRODUCTS ARE PRODUCED ANNUALLY FOR SALE.

• IN ADDITION TO THE PRODUCED PRODUCTS, LARGE QUANTITIES OF SALT REMAIN SEQUESTERED IN THE SOLAR PONDS IF THE PONDS ARE NOT FLUSHED, THUS RETURNING THE SALTS TO THE LAKE.

GREATSALTLAKE

MINERALINDUSTRIES

GREAT SALT LAKE’SMINERAL INDUSTRIES

SOUTH ARM

U.S. MAGNESIUM LLC. – MAGNESIUM METAL, CHLORINE GAS

MORTON SALT – SODIUM CHLORIDE

CARGILL SALT – SODIUM CHLORIDE

NORTH ARM

GREAT SALT LAKE MINERALS – K2SO4, MgCL2

NORTH AMERICAN SALT COMPANY – SODIUM CHLORIDE

NORTH SHORE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP – NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

ISOLATION OF SALT DURING LOW-WATER YEARS

• DURING THE EARLY 1960S, 1980S, AND DURING THE MOST RECENT DROUGHT, THE LEVEL OF GREAT SALT LAKE DROPPED MUCH BELOW ITS NORMAL ELEVATION OF ABOUT 4200 FEET.

• DURING THESE LOW-WATER LEVELS, THE SALINITY OF THE LAKE WATER INCREASES AND SALT PRECIPITATES ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE LAKE, ESPECIALLY TO THE NORTH OF THE RAILROAD CAUSEWAY. AS MUCH AS 6 FEET OF SALT WAS MEASURED DURING THE EARLY 1980S.

• SALT PRECIPITATED ONTO THE BOTTOM OF THE NORTH ARM WILL REMAIN THERE UNTIL A HIGH-WATER EPISODE OCCURS AGAIN AND THE NORTH-ARM WATER BECOMES DILUTE ENOUGH TO DISSOLVE THE SALT. SUCH EPISODES ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

MOVEMENT OF SALTS WITHIN THE LAKE

• THE MAJORITY OF FRESH-WATER TRIBUTARY INFLOW TO THE LAKE ENTERS THE SOUTH ARM THROUGH THE JORDAN, WEBER, OGDEN, AND BEAR RIVERS, BRINGING SMALL AMOUNTS OF SALT INTO THE LAKE.

• THE NORTH ARM OF THE LAKE RECEIVES SALTY WATER FROM THE SOUTH ARM AS IT FLOWS NORTHWARD THROUGH THE BREACH AND TWO CULVERT OPENINGS IN THE RAILROAD CAUSEWAY.

• UNDER THE PROPER HYDRAULIC CONDITIONS, HEAVY NORTH-ARM BRINE WILL RETURN TO THE SOUTH ARM, AS RETURN FLOW, THROUGH THE BREACH AND CULVERT OPENINGS, AND THROUGH THE CAUSEWAY FILL ITSELF. RETURN FLOW FLOWS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUTH ARM INTO THE DENSE, FETED BRINE LAYER. (SEE NEXT SLIDE).

BIDIRECTIONAL FLOW THROUGH THE CAUSEWAY, BREACH, AND CULVERTS