1. Utah’s Geography Notes

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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 inches of rain per year
Deserts get less than 10
Kaysville is not a desert, but it’s close – it is a steppe climate.

5. Precipitation is a fancy word for rain and snow.

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

7. 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.

8. 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).

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 5 Themes of Geography
Place: Physical and Human characteristics

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

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

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

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

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

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