Unique Capabilities
This 113,000 ft² university-based water and environmental research facility along the Logan River is a premier research location with unique capabilities to address critical and emerging water and environmental challenges, including:
- Two hydraulics laboratories for large-flow physical modeling
- An environmental quality laboratory for chemistry and microbiology studies in water, soil, and air
- Additional field and observatory sites in the Logan River watershed and throughout the western U.S.
- Staff expertise spanning a broad range of disciplines.
Hydraulics Laboratories
The Hydraulics Bay (~50,000 ft²) and Hydraulics Modeling Laboratory (~11,000 ft²) at the Utah Water Research Laboratory provide state-of-the-art facilities for full- and large-scale hydraulic research. These laboratories support pipeline and valve performance tests, flow meter calibrations, open-channel and confined-flow studies, sediment and erosion experiments, storm system capacity tests as well as large-scale pump station, dam, spillway, diversion structure and flow intake physical modeling. Equipped with high-capacity flow systems, overhead crane access, and advanced instrumentation, these spaces enable precise performance testing, design validation, and applied research for complex water infrastructure projects.
Environmental Quality Laboratory
The Environmental Quality Laboratory at the Utah Water Research Laboratory provides advanced analytical capabilities for testing water, wastewater, soil, and sediment to support research, environmental quality testing, and environmental monitoring. Equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation for analyzing trace metals, nutrients, organics, and microbial constituents, the lab enables detailed assessments of water quality, contaminant behavior, and treatment performance. Its facilities support academic research, government collaborations, and applied studies that help protect and enhance the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of water resources in Utah and beyond.
Logan River Observatory
The Logan River Observatory at the Utah Water Research Laboratory provides a long-term, high-resolution monitoring network for studying watershed processes, streamflow dynamics, and water quality in the Logan River Basin. Combining field-based sensor data with advanced modeling and remote sensing, the observatory supports research on hydrology, ecology, and water management under changing climatic and land-use conditions. Its data are used by students, faculty, consultants, non-profits, and state agencies to improve understanding of mountain water systems and to inform sustainable watershed and infrastructure decisions throughout Utah.