Utah’s Geography Notes

Utah’s Climate Climate is the “average” weather of a place measured over a long period of time. Has this week’s weather been a good average for Utah’s climate? Most people live in Utah’s valleys so we will focus our attention there. Snow does not often build up in the valleys, but it does pile up deeply in the mountains! Even if it seems like we have a lot of snow in the mountains, it takes about a foot of snow to equal an inch of rain.

Utah’s Climate (continued) The growing season is shorter in Northern Utah because the cold winters are longer St. George has a longer growing season than Kaysville

Our Water Supply Most of our water comes more than 600 miles across California and Nevada from the Pacific Ocean. We in the valleys receive about 12.75 inches of rain per year Deserts get less than 10 Kaysville is not a desert, but it’s close – it is a steppe climate.

Precipitation is a fancy word for rain and snow.

Our Water Supply (continued) Orographic Lifting (Rain Shadow Effect)

Our Water Supply (continued) Good point of orographic lifting: The Wasatch Range causes the the clouds to precipitate on us and on the mountains – where we store it in reservoirs! Bad point: There isn’t much water left in the clouds when they get to us.

Our Water Supply (continued) Most rivers in Utah flow to either the Great Salt Lake or to the Colorado River (and from the Colorado eventually to the Pacific Ocean.) These are the two drainage basins in Utah (Bonneville & Colorado).

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life Imported (non-native) – a plant or animal brought to an area by man Indigenous (native) – a plant or animal native to an area

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life Indigenous plants sagebrush grasses dwarf oak willows creosote bush mesquite Joshua trees Imported plants wheat palm trees fruit trees tomatoes

Utah’s Plant and Animal Life Indigenous Animals deer bear bobcats coyotes cougars buffalo rainbow trout Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge makes a great summer home for migrating birds

Geography Geography is the study of the earth and its mountains, plateaus, valleys, deserts, rivers, lakes, and air. It is also the study of where people and animals live on the earth.

5 Themes of Geography Location: Position on the Earth’s surface Absolute Location: Exact, measured by latitude and longitude Relative Location: Where a place is located in connection with some other place

5 Themes of Geography Place: Physical and Human characteristics

Relationships: Interaction between humans and their environment 5 Themes of Geography Relationships: Interaction between humans and their environment

Movement: People, products, ideas, and information move 5 Themes of Geography Movement: People, products, ideas, and information move

Regions: Areas that have similar characteristics 5 Themes of Geography Regions: Areas that have similar characteristics

Utah’s 3 Land Regions Great Basin Region: Large flat area in western Utah with many small mountain ranges

Utah’s 3 Land Regions Rocky Mountain Region: Uinta and Wasatch Mountains containing, forests, lakes, rivers, streams, and reservoirs.

Utah’s 3 Land Regions Colorado Plateau: High plateaus and colorful cliffs of sedimentary rock with wonderful formations