April 9, 2021 - Great Salt Lake

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   Great Salt Lake
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   On April 4, 2021, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
   (MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a stunning true-color
   portrait of Utah’s two-toned Great Salt Lake centered on a background
   of tans and white. The waters of the lake contrast not only with each
   other, but also stand out as a saline oasis in an otherwise arid basin
   housing scant vegetation and copious salt flats. Tall mountains
   surround the basin and are capped with snow—a truly precious commodity
   that holds precipitation fast until warm weather, when it is released
   as water. That water will be used by people for drinking, agriculture,
   and industry—and some will travel through rivers and streams to add
   water to the Great Salt Lake.

   The present Great Salt Lake stretches roughly 75 miles (121 km) in
   length and 35 miles (56 km) wide, with a maximum depth of about 33 feet
   and an average depth of 14 feet. It is effectively split into two by a
   man-made causeway, which runs across the entire like and stops the
   free-flow of water between the northern and southern arm. The
   plum-colored northern arm, known as Gunnison Bay, contains roughly
   thirty percent salt. More freshwater rivers run into the southern
   portion (Gilbert Bay) so not only are the green waters less saline than
   the north, but the salinity can fluctuate between 6 and 27 percent.

   Image Facts
   Satellite:  Terra
   Date Acquired: 4/4/2021
   Resolutions:  1km (150.1 KB),  500m (406.5 KB),  250m (287.5
   KB)
   Bands Used: 1,4,3
   Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-04-09
 
