Immersive Modeling of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge to Get More Water to Great Salt Lake


Authors:
Owners: Hadia Akbar
Type: Resource
Storage: The size of this resource is 22.2 MB
Created: Jul 15, 2024 at 11:04 p.m.
Last updated: Jun 04, 2025 at 11:39 p.m.
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Abstract

This study used immersive online collaborative modeling to explore water banking strategies to get more water to the declining Great Salt Lake (GSL). In a model session, each collaborator immersed in a water user role. They articulated a strategy to consume and bank water. Then they adapted their strategy in response to their available water, others’ choices, and the real-time discussion of choices. 29 farmers, ranchers, practitioners, and experts participated. Collaborators who personified agricultural users had the most varied strategies. They balanced economic viability, long-term sustainability, and land preservation. Pricing water was challenging, with prices ranging from $15 to $300 per acre-foot. The modeling highlighted the importance of local context in shaping water bank dynamics. The study yielded two novel strategies to deliver more water to GSL: (1) bank water in an upstream reservoir during summer months, then release water to GSL in e winter when there are few intermediary diversions; and (2) combine small volumes of banked water into larger, short-duration pulse releases for measurable downstream delivery. Immersive modeling increased engagement, social learning, and empathy for other users. The modeling found "win-win" outcomes where agricultural users retained water rights, generated income, and supported environmental goals. A next step is for a local water agency to set-up a water bank under existing Utah law. Another next step is to scale up modeling to a river basin where there is potentially more water to deliver to GSL and increased complexity of interstate management.

Coverage

Spatial

Coordinate System/Geographic Projection:
WGS 84 EPSG:4326
Coordinate Units:
Decimal degrees
Place/Area Name:
Cache Valley Utah
North Latitude
41.7719°
East Longitude
-111.7776°
South Latitude
41.6427°
West Longitude
-111.9122°
Leaflet Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

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Credits

Funding Agencies

This resource was created using funding from the following sources:
Agency Name Award Title Award Number
National Institute of Food and Agriculture Securing a Climate Resilient Water Future for Agriculture and Ecosystems through Innovations in Measurement, Management and Markets 2021-69012-35916

How to Cite

Akbar, H., D. E. Rosenberg (2025). Immersive Modeling of Water Banking Elicits Local Knowledge to Get More Water to Great Salt Lake, HydroShare, http://www.hydroshare.org/resource/c9614e389e324b7ba92d5c33247504a1

This resource is shared under the Creative Commons Attribution CC BY.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
CC-BY

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