Utah Water Research Laboratory Unveils Interactive Exhibit at The Leonardo

A new art installation at The Leonardo in downtown Salt Lake City blends fine art photography and the hydrology of the Great Salt Lake. The exhibit examines powerful relationships between humanity and water and gives museum visitors a unique opportunity to better understand Utah’s most critical natural resource.

Water: Nature’s Driving Force features Australian-based photographer Paul Blackmore and a custom-designed, interactive exhibit developed by the Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University. The exhibit highlights our human connections to the lake and explores the complexities of water use and management impacting the sustainability of the Great Salt Lake.

“The goal is an exhibit that blends art and engineering,” said Marissa Day, chief exhibits developer at The Leonardo. “The curatorial philosophy in all our exhibits is to bring together both the creative and the scientific aspects of the subject matter.”

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a series of black and white images that Moore has captured from around the world. His work spans 11 years and 14 countries, providing a global look at how water flows through the spiritual and physical lives of all people and cultures around the world.

The new gallery is especially relevant to audiences in Utah, which is one of the driest states in the nation. The state’s growing population and expanding industrial sector is placing increased demands on the region’s water resources. With increasing climate variability and shrinking water supplies in the West, the conversation about water in Utah highlights the need for ongoing conservation and authoritative research.

“Great Salt Lake is at critically low levels, and its existence is threatened by reductions in inflow due to our use of water in the watersheds that supply water to the lake,” said David Tarboton, director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory who conducts research on water problems in Utah, the country and around the world. “I am happy our team has the opportunity to contribute to this exhibit, which highlights the importance of addressing challenges of conservation and water use to sustain Great Salt Lake.”

Under the direction of Tarboton and Professor Bethany Neilson, the Water Lab collaborated with Cache Valley artist Eric Eliason to develop a large, topographical map that depicts the three watersheds that supply a majority of water to the lake.

An interactive touchscreen tells the broader story of the Great Salt Lake Basin with digital content developed by the Utah Division of Water Resources with support from the Great Salt Lake Strike Team, which includes Tarboton and Neilson. USU doctoral student and Water Lab researcher Hyrum Tennant led the development of an interactive map of the watersheds that lets users explore the rivers and streams in the Great Salt Lake Basin.

The exhibit is open to the public and is scheduled to run through May 2025.

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