Phase 2 Planning Workshops
Please join the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner, the Utah Division of Water Resources, Envision Utah, and your local watershed council for a planning workshop supporting the Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan (GSLBIP).
The GSLBIP, led by the Utah Division of Water Resources, will serve as a long-term roadmap for maintaining a resilient water supply and promoting a healthy lake, while supporting the economy and quality of life that depend on both. It will shape future investment, policy, and water management throughout the Great Salt Lake Basin.
Why this workshop matters
In Phase 1 (Spring–Summer 2026), over six hundred Utahns shared their priorities and ideas for the future of water in the Basin. Phase 2 (Fall 2026–Spring 2027) builds on this input by inviting partners to create their own future water “scenarios.”
Your input at this stage directly shapes the scenarios that will be tested in Phase 3 hydrologic modeling. The modeled results of these scenarios will be shared with partners and the public—and the best elements will be incorporated into the final plan.
What to expect
Participants will play through the Basin Scenarios game, where they will build water management futures for the Great Salt Lake Basin. The game invites participants to engage in shared decision-making to choose which strategies should be employed to manage water in the Great Salt Lake Basin while considering the costs and trade-offs of different actions. The game also requires choices about the distribution of water benefits and an element of uncertainty regarding the long-term precipitation and temperature trends in the Basin.
After all teams have played through the game, a debrief discussion will provide further opportunities to shape the comparison scenarios that will be considered in later planning phases. The gameplay results and associated discussions will be compiled and assessed to create several scenario “action packages” that will be analyzed in Phase 3 using the RiverWare Planning Model.
Who will be there
Water managers, users, and rights holders are encouraged to participate in these invite-only workshops. The GSLBIP will be created and implemented by the people that live and work in the Basin with support from state, federal, and non-governmental partners.
If you are unable to attend, you may invite an alternate to take your place.
You’re welcome to join one of six workshops:
| Workshop | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Lake Watershed | Nov 12 | 2:30–4:30 | Central Utah Water Conservancy District |
| Weber River Watershed | Nov 19 | 2:30–4:30 | Weber Basin Water Conservancy District |
| Jordan River Watershed | Dec 1 | 2:30–4:30 | TBD |
| Bear River Watershed | Dec 3 | 2:30–4:30 | TBD |
| West Desert Watershed | Dec 15 | 2:30–4:30 | TBD |
| GSL Basin (makeup) | Jan 13 | TBD | TBD |
Workshop details are subject to change.
