Wasatch Front

Coordinates: 40°36′N 111°54′W / 40.6°N 111.9°W / 40.6; -111.9
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Wasatch Front
Region
Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City
Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City
Brigham Young University, Provo
Brigham Young University, Provo
Downtown Ogden
Downtown Ogden
CountryUnited States
StateUtah
Population
 (2020)
2,660,359

The Wasatch Front

Orem, Bountiful, Layton, and Ogden along with many smaller communities.[1] The Wasatch Front is contrasted with the Wasatch Back
region on the east side of the mountain range.

Geography

The Wasatch Front is a long and relatively narrow strip of land, measuring about 177 kilometers (110 miles) north to south and 48 kilometers (30 miles) east to west at the widest points. To the east, the Wasatch Mountains rise abruptly several thousand feet above the valley floors, climbing to their highest elevation of 11,928 feet (3,636 m) at Mount Nebo (bordering southern Utah Valley). The area's western boundary is formed by Utah Lake in Utah County, the Oquirrh Mountains in Salt Lake County, and the Great Salt Lake in northwestern Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, and southeastern Box Elder county.

Though most residents of the area live between Ogden and Provo (a distance of 80 miles [130 km]), which includes Salt Lake City proper, the fullest built-out extent of the Wasatch Front is 120 miles (190 km) long and on average 5 miles (8 km) wide. Along its length, the Wasatch Front never exceeds a width of approximately 18 miles (29 km) because of the natural barriers of lakes and mountains.[citation needed]

Sustained drought in Utah has more recently strained the region's water security, causing the Great Salt Lake to drop to record low levels,[2][3] and affecting the state's economy, of which the Wasatch Front constitutes 80%.[4]

Climate

The Wasatch Front is a

semi-arid region at the eastern edge of the Great Basin. The urban corridor mainly lies in zone 7[5] with minimum average winter temperatures ranging between 0 and 20 °F (−18 and −7 °C) and daytime high temperatures ranging from the mid-30 °F to mid-40 °F range (-1 and 4 °C). Snowfall is common during winter but often melts rapidly. Inversions commonly occur along the Wasatch Front during mid-winter making for very cold temperatures and gloomy conditions lasting for several weeks at times in the valleys, while the higher mountain elevations will experience clear and warmer conditions. Localized lake-effect snowfall
from the Great Salt Lake is common in the late Fall and early winter. The first freeze usually occurs in early October in the outlying areas but can occur as late as early November in the inner urban areas. The last freeze can occur broadly between early April and late May.

Summers are generally hot and dry, with the exception of the summer thunderstorm seasonal pattern which usually runs from early July through early September, when often intense thunderstorms occur due to mid-latitude weather patterns including the Pacific storm track.[6] Daytime high temperatures are around 95 °F (35 °C), with higher temperatures often created by the urban heat island effect.[7]

Population centers

A map of the population density in Utah's counties, showing the Wasatch Front as the most populous region

Several

suburban development.[1]

Rank County 2010 census[8] 2020 census[9] Growth %
1 Salt Lake 1,029,655 1,185,238 +15.11%
2 Utah 516,564 659,399 +27.65%
3 Davis 306,479 362,679 +18.34%
4 Weber 231,236 262,223 +13.40%
8 Box Elder 49,975 57,666 +15.39%
Total 2,246,565 2,660,359 +18.42%

Transportation

Mount Timpanogos, in the Wasatch Range, viewed from Utah Lake. Several Wasatch Front cities lie between these natural features.

Ogden has served as a major railway hub through much of its history. The First transcontinental railroad was constructed between 1863 and 1869, with the tracks reaching Ogden on March 27, 1869. Trains heading east from Ogden must negotiate the highest reaches of eastern Utah, travelling through Weber and Echo Canyons and over the Wasatch Pass at an elevation of 6,792 feet.

Union Pacific has operated the world's most powerful locomotives to haul freight over the Wasatch Mountains between Cheyenne and Ogden, including American Locomotive Company's famous "Big Boys", the world's largest steam locomotive; GE's Gas Turbines known as the "Big Blows" (because of their distinctive sound), the world's most powerful internal combustion locomotive; and GM's "Big Jacks"
, the most powerful single-unit diesel locomotive type ever built.

Transportation issues within the metropolitan area have been complicated by the narrow north–south orientation of the valley, constrained by the natural barriers on both sides, and the rapid growth of the region.

The primary modes of transport for the area are

U.S. Route 189 through Provo, and U.S. Route 6 in southern Utah County.[10]

The Utah Transit Authority provides bus and light rail (TRAX) service to most of the urban areas within the Wasatch Front. Additionally, a double-decker commuter rail line FrontRunner,[11] running from North Ogden to Provo, is in full operation.[12]

The California Zephyr of Amtrak[13] is the primary rail transport leading in and out of the Wasatch Front, having a station in Salt Lake City and Provo.

Ogden-Hinckley Airport and Provo Municipal Airport
also provide scheduled commercial air service.

The Salt Lake Valley urban area, part of the Wasatch Front. The Wasatch Range prevents the Wasatch Front from expanding further eastward.

Growth and land use

Because of the geographical barriers to the east and west, much of the land along the Wasatch Front has been developed. The region has experienced considerable growth since the 1950s, with its population increasing 308% from 492,374 to 2,051,330. Much of the remaining undeveloped land is rapidly being developed, and local governments have grappled with problems of urban sprawl and other land-use concerns.

The region on the other side of the Wasatch Range, including cities such as Park City, Morgan, Heber City, and Midway, is sometimes referred to as the Wasatch Back and has recently shared in the rapid growth of the region.

An aerial view looking south along the Wasatch Front, in 2021.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Megalopolis: Urban sprawl slowly blurs Wasatch Front towns, cities". Deseret News. 2008-05-18. Retrieved 2022-04-30.
  2. ^ "Drought 2022". www.slc.gov. Retrieved April 16, 2022.[title missing]
  3. ^ "Great Salt Lake Reaches New Historic Low". USGS. U.S. Department of the Interior. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  4. ^ "If we want growth, we need water solutions". www.utahbusiness.com. 11 May 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2022.[title missing]
  5. ^ "Utah Planting Zones". Gilmour.
  6. ISSN 0027-0644
    .
  7. ^ "Utah Weather". Visit Utah.
  8. ^ "TOTAL POPULATION (P1)". United States Census Bureau. 2010. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  9. ^ "TOTAL POPULATION (B01003)". United States Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  10. ^ "Utah - Map of Cities in UT - MapQuest". www.mapquest.com.
  11. ^ "404". www.rideuta.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  12. ^ "Utah Department of Transportation Legacy Parkway page".
  13. ^ "Amtrak home page".
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40°36′N 111°54′W / 40.6°N 111.9°W / 40.6; -111.9

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