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101-655: The Uinta National Forest was headquartered in Provo, Utah , with four outlying district offices located in Pleasant Grove , Heber , Spanish Fork , and Nephi, Utah until August 2007. The Uinta National Forest is now managed as one unit along with the Wasatch–Cache National Forest as the Uinta–Wasatch–Cache National Forest. Managing 880,719 acres (1,376.1 sq mi; 356,414.3 ha),

202-560: A Spanish Franciscan missionary-explorer, is considered the first European explorer to have visited the area in 1776. He was guided by two Timpanogos Utes, whom he called Silvestre and Joaquín. Escalante chronicled this first European exploration across the Great Basin Desert . The Europeans did not build a permanent settlement but traded with the Timpanogos, whom they called Lagunas (lake people) or Come Pescado (fish eaters). In 1847,

303-535: A couple of shopping centers . The Shops At Riverwoods and Provo Towne Centre , both shopping malls , operate in Provo. Several small shops, music venues, and boutiques have popped up downtown, along Center Street and University Avenue. Downtown has also begun to host "gallery strolls" every first Friday of the month that features local artists. There are many dining establishments in and around downtown Provo. Five Provo companies are listed on Inc.com's Inc. 5000 list of

404-602: A desert ecoregion between the Sierra Nevada and Wasatch Range, naming it the "Northern Basin and Range" ecoregion. In 1999, the U.S. EPA renamed the "Northern Basin and Range" the "Central Basin and Range" and the "(Snake River) High Desert" the "Northern Basin and Range". The World Wildlife Fund adopted the Basin and Range ecoregions from Omernik, but excised a small region of high-altitude areas which contain Holocene refugia , from

505-444: A female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 11.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.34, and the average family size was 3.40. In the city, 22.3% of residents were under 18, 40.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 8.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% were 65 years of age or older. The median age

606-450: A female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of a single individual, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.24, and the average family size was 3.41. In the city, 22.3% of residents were under 18, 36.4% were from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 10.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.8% were 65 years of age or older. The median age

707-525: A final end to their [Indian] depredations in future." This ended in what is known as the Battle Creek massacre , in modern-day Pleasant Grove, Utah . The Mormons continued pushing into Timpanog lands. In 1849, 33 Mormon families from Salt Lake City established Fort Utah . In 1850, Brigham Young sent an army from Salt Lake to drive out the Timpanogos in what is called the Provo War . Escalating tensions with

808-414: A limestone or dolomite substrate affects regional vegetation, particularly in terms of species dominance and elevational distribution. The substrate favors shrubs, such as black sagebrush and winterfat , that can tolerate shallow soil. Even in alluvial soils, root growth may be limited by a hardpan or caliche layer formed by carbonates leaching through the soil and accumulating. As a result, shrub cover

909-605: A mixture of shrubs and herbaceous plants, often with nearly bare ground. These characteristics have led this zone to be named the "pygmy forest" by many scientists. The lower end of this zone is dominated by juniper; the middle is a combination of both species, and the upper end is dominated by pinyon. The taller ranges of the Great Basin desert have a montane community. Due to the great distances created by basins between these small forest habitats, various rock substrates, and local climates, montane forests are tremendously varied across

1010-408: A particular mountain peak or range and are found only in that one place. Grasses , sedges , low perennial herbs, and wildflowers grow above treeline. The riparian communities of the Great Basin desert cut across all elevations and life zones. In the Great Basin desert surface water is rapidly lost by evaporation or infiltration. However, areas around streams where plant life is abundant constitute

1111-622: A private higher education institution operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Provo also has the LDS Church's largest Missionary Training Center (MTC). The city is a focus area for technology development in Utah, with several billion-dollar startups . The city's Peaks Ice Arena was a venue for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002 . The Provo area

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1212-678: A railroad reached Provo. It was also this year that the Provo Woolen Mills opened. They were the first large factory in Provo and employed about 150 people, initially mainly skilled textile laborers who had emigrated from Britain. Provo lies on the eastern bank of Utah Lake in Utah Valley at an elevation of 4,549 feet (1,387 m). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 44.2 square miles (114.4 km ), of which 41.7 square miles (107.9 km )

1313-592: A record monthly total of 66.0 inches (168 cm) in January 1918, during which the record snow cover of 34 inches (86 cm) was recorded on the 17th. Seasonal snowfall has ranged from 127.5 inches (324 cm) in 1983–84 to 10.1 inches (26 cm) in 2014–15. Very cold weather may occur when cold air from over the Continental Divide invades the region: although only four mornings fall to or below 0 °F or −17.8 °C during an average winter and this temperature

1414-529: A riparian area. Water-loving plants like willow , narrowleaf cottonwood , choke cherry , wild rose , and aspen are found along these wet areas. The willow has a spreading root network that allows it to reach all around for water and it also helps streams by slowing erosion. These plants provide wood for beavers . In this community, silver buffaloberry often provides shelter for North American porcupines . The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines its Central Basin and Range ecoregion as Level III: it

1515-801: A transition to sagebrush ( Artemisia ) and grasses just above the shadscale zone. This expanse, called the sagebrush zone, constitutes the largest amount of land in the desert (38.7 percent) and is dominated by big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ) shrubland. The sagebrush zone occurs on the lower mountain slopes, alluvial fans , and bajadas . Areas in this zone that have wetter and less saline soils are dominated by big sagebrush . Low sagebrush or black sagebrush dominate areas with steep rocky slopes and shallow soils. Introduced annual grasses such as cheatgrass ( Bromus tectorum ) and halogeton ( Halogeton glomeratus ) also characterize this zone, although native bunchgrasses once thrived amongst sagebrush. Historical fire suppression, adjusted fire frequency following

1616-418: A two-month total in 2016 as low as 0.06 inches (1.5 mm). The hottest month on record is July 2003 with a mean of 81.8 °F (27.7 °C), and a mean maximum of 99.0 °F (37.2 °C). The hottest temperature on record is 108 °F (42.2 °C) on July 13, 2002. The fall season sees steady cooling and a transition to winter weather, with rare influences of rain systems from further south, as in

1717-695: Is a continuation of the Lahontan Basin , while the lower and hotter Pahranagat Valley on the east side is more like the Mojave Desert. Similar to basins further north, shadscale and associated arid land shrubs cover broad rolling valleys, hills, and alluvial fans. However, unlike the Lahontan salt shrub basin and Upper Lahontan basin, the shrubs often co-dominate in highly diverse mosaics . The shrub understory includes warm-season grasses, such as Indian ricegrass and galleta grass . Endemic fish species, including

1818-679: Is a private university operated by the LDS Church. BYU is the third-largest private university in the United States , with more than 34,000 students. It is the flagship of the Church Educational System . On the campus is the Spencer W. Kimball Tower , the tallest building in Provo. Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a private, for-profit university emphasizing graduate healthcare education. The Northwest Commission accredits

1919-471: Is adjacent and above the sagebrush zone. The main plants in this community are singleleaf pinyon pine and Utah juniper , often with a sagebrush and bitterbrush understory. Other species of junipers also occur in this zone, including Juniperus communis and Juniperus occidentalis . The elevational range of this zone varies, but it is usually found between 6,000 and 8,000 feet (1,800 and 2,400 m), with lower limits determined by lack of moisture and

2020-677: Is an expansive dry plain that was once below Pleistocene Lake Lahontan. The Lahontan Basin , compared to the Bonneville Basin to the east, is lower in elevation and warmer in winter. Although there is a direct connection to the south to the Mojave Desert , winters are cold enough in this ecoregion to discourage the northward dispersal of Mojavean species into the Lahontan Basin. In addition to shadscale , other salt-tolerant shrubs, such as Shockley's desert-thorn and Bailey greasewood , cover

2121-634: Is at the third level of a tree of ecoregions that cover North America. It further defines sub-ecoregions at Level IV, which describe differences in the ecoregion at different locations. The map shows the Level IV EPA ecoregions in Nevada. The low-elevation ecoregions lie in the Great Basin shrub steppe, while the high-elevation ones lie in the Great Basin montane forests (as defined by the WWF). The Salt desert ecoregion

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2222-543: Is composed of nearly level playas , salt flats , mud flats , and saline lakes . These features are characteristic of the Bonneville Basin : they have a higher salt content than those of the Lahontan and Tonopah playas ecoregion, below. Water levels and salinity varies from year to year. During dry periods salt encrustation and wind erosion occur. Vegetation is mostly absent, although scattered salt-tolerant plants, such as pickleweed , iodinebush , black greasewood , and inland saltgrass occur. Soils are not arable and there

2323-584: Is dominated by mountain big sagebrush , serviceberry , snowberry , and low sagebrush . They contrast with the High-elevation Carbonate Mountains to the east, where the mountain brush zone is too narrow to be mapped as a separate ecoregion. Scattered groves of curlleaf mountain-mahogany and aspen in moister microsites grow above the shrub layer. A few scattered limber or bristlecone pines grow on ranges that exceed 10,000 feet (3,000 m). The Toiyabe Range (west of Big Smoky Valley )

2424-526: Is high enough to have an alpine zone, but lacks a suitable substrate to retain snowmelt moisture. The isolation of these "sky islands" has led to the development of many rare and endemic plant species. The Tonopah Basin lies in the transition between the Great Basin Desert and the more southerly Mojave Desert . The basin shows varying characteristics of both deserts. The west side of the Tonopah Basin

2525-632: Is land and 2.5 square miles (6.5 km ), or 5.66%, is water. The Wasatch Range contains many peaks within Utah County along the east side of the Wasatch Front . One of them, known as Y Mountain , towers over the city. There is a large hillside letter Y made of whitewashed concrete halfway up the steep mountain, built in the early part of the 20th century to commemorate BYU (original plans included construction use of all three letters). Wild deer (and less frequently, cougars , and moose ) still roam

2626-669: Is little competition and reduced risk of fire. The trees grow very slowly, producing very dense, disease-resistant wood. These factors contribute to the bristlecone's long life. Some mountain ranges in the Great Basin desert are high enough to have an alpine community; a community of low growing plants above the treeline . Treeline is generally found above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the Great Basin desert, moving downslope with higher latitudes. The plants that grow above treeline are separated from other such areas by miles of foothills and valleys. This "island" phenomenon produces many endemic species - species that have evolved while isolated on

2727-474: Is mostly underlain by volcanic ash , rhyolite , and tuffaceous rocks . Low sagebrush is common in extensive areas of shallow, stony soil, as are cool season grasses, such as bluebunch wheatgrass , Idaho fescue , and Sandberg bluegrass . The ecoregion is wetter and cooler than other Nevada ecoregions in its elevation range. The ecoregion is transitional to the Northern Basin and Range ecoregion that spans

2828-583: Is not as prevalent on the mountains of central Nevada as in other woodland ecoregions, such as ecoregions 13d and 13q. Pinyon- juniper grows only sparsely through the shrub layer due to combined effects of past fire, logging, and local climate factors, including lack of summer rain and the pattern of winter cold air inversions. Where extensive woodlands do exist, understory diversity tends to be very low, especially in closed canopy areas. Areas of black and Wyoming big sagebrush grade upward into mountain big sagebrush and curlleaf mountain-mahogany , which straddles

2929-627: Is on University Avenue and 550 North. With construction finished in 2013, the center provides a location for aquatic recreation next to the Provo Power plant. The Provo Utah Temple is at the base of Rock Canyon in Provo. This temple has been among the busiest in the LDS Church due to its proximity to BYU and the MTC. The temple closed in February 2024, has been razed, and is currently being reconstructed. The temple, estimated for completion in 2027, will reopen as

3030-599: Is one of the four biologically defined deserts in North America, in addition to the Mojave , Sonoran , and Chihuahuan Deserts . Basin and range topography characterizes the desert: wide valleys bordered by parallel mountain ranges generally oriented north–south. There are more than 33 peaks within the desert with summits higher than 9,800 feet (3,000 m), but valleys in the region are also high, most with elevations above 3,900 feet (1,200 m). The biological communities of

3131-460: Is sparse in contrast to other sagebrush-covered ecoregions in Nevada. The grass understory grades from a dominance of cool season grasses, such as bluebunch wheatgrass , in the north, to warm season grasses, such as blue grama (an indicator of summer rainfall) in the south. The Central Nevada high valleys ecoregion contains sagebrush-covered rolling valleys that are generally over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) in elevation. Alluvial fans spilling from

Uinta National Forest - Misplaced Pages Continue

3232-467: Is the climate of the high desert. The Great Basin desert climate begins with the Sierra Nevada in eastern California . Rising 14,000 feet (4,300 m) above sea level, this mountain range casts a large rain shadow over the desert. Weather coming in from the Pacific Ocean quickly loses its moisture as rain and snow as it is forced up and over the steep mountains. By the time it reaches the east side of

3333-504: Is the dominant shrub in more saline areas or where the water table is high. These shrubs and associated grasses typically produce abundant small seeds that are harvested by rodents and insects. The soil salinity and lack of moisture in this zone is not very conducive to most agriculture; however, livestock grazing and grain farming have historically contributed to a decline in the already scattered vegetation. The drop in soil salinity and increase in moisture as elevation increases leads to

3434-507: Is very limited grazing potential. The salt deserts provide wildlife habitat and serve some recreational, military, and industrial uses. A prime example of this ecoregion is the Bonneville Salt Flats . The Shadscale-dominated saline basins ecoregion is arid, internally drained and gently sloping to nearly flat. These basins are in, or are characteristic of, the Bonneville Basin : they are higher in elevation and colder in winter than

3535-465: Is within the Provo School District . The school board has seven members, each representing a different district of the city. There are thirteen elementary schools, two middle schools, and three high schools. Provo High School was the first school in Utah County to be an IB World school. The school has a record of 4A state basketball championships, more state champions than any other school in

3636-432: The Mojave and Sonoran , due to the region's higher elevation and latitude. Winters in this section of the basin are still cold, however. The Great Salt Lake Desert , located near the northeast corner of the Great Basin desert, is an excellent example of a cold desert climate . Although still arid, it is worthy to note that this portion of the desert receives more precipitation than the similar playas and salt pans on

3737-714: The Mormon pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley , which was just north of Timpanogos Mountain . At first, the Natives were friendly with the Mormons. But, as relations deteriorated with the Shoshoni and Utes because of disputes over land and cattle, tensions rose. Because of the reported stolen goods of settlers by the Utes, Brigham Young gave small militia orders "to take such measures as would put

3838-605: The Provo Utah Rock Canyon Temple . Located at the corner of University Avenue and Center Street, the Provo City Center Temple serves as another temple for the Provo area's Latter-day Saint population. After a fire in 2010 destroyed the Provo Tabernacle, Thomas S. Monson , then LDS Church president , announced the site would become the city's second temple. Renovations were finished and the temple

3939-592: The Railroad Valley tui chub , Pahranagat roundtail chub , Railroad Valley springfish , and the White River springfish are found in valleys with perennial water. The topography of the Great Basin desert ("island" mountain tops separated from one another by vast expanses of desert valleys) renders it vulnerable to extinctions. Populations that occupy the high peaks are isolated from one another; therefore, they cannot interbreed. Small populations are more vulnerable to

4040-708: The Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Range . The desert is a geographical region that largely overlaps the Great Basin shrub steppe defined by the World Wildlife Fund , and the Central Basin and Range ecoregion defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and United States Geological Survey . It is a temperate desert with hot, dry summers and snowy winters. The desert spans large portions of Nevada and Utah , and extends into eastern California . The desert

4141-496: The Wasatch Front , and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south. With a population at the 2020 census of 115,162, Provo is the fourth-largest city in Utah and the principal city in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area , which had a population of 526,810 at the 2010 census. It is Utah's second-largest metropolitan area after Salt Lake City . Provo is the home to Brigham Young University (BYU),

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4242-560: The limestone substrate to surface as valley springs. Isolated valley drainages support endemic fish, such as the Newark Valley tui chub . The nearly level and often barren Lahontan and Tonopah playas contain mudflats , alkali flats , and intermittent saline lakes , such as the Black Rock Desert , Carson Sink , and Sarcobatus Flat . Marshes , remnant lakes and playas are all that remain of Pleistocene Lake Lahontan , which

4343-534: The " Chalfant , Hammil, Benton, and Queen valleys," as well as all but the southeast portion of the Owens Valley . Conversely, the " Panamint , Saline , and Eureka valleys" have creosote bush, unlike the Deep Springs Valley which includes part of the Great Basin scrub desert. The study and definition of ecoregions can also indicate the boundaries of the Great Basin Desert. In 1987 J.M. Omernik defined

4444-565: The 1,620-square-foot (151 m ) Secured Gallery and the Eccles Gallery in the lower lobby. Provo is the location of the church's largest MTC. Each week approximately 475 missionaries enter for 3–9 weeks of training before they depart for the mission field, becoming part of more than 58,000 in more than 120 countries. About 1,100 instructors (many of them returned missionaries) teach 62 languages. The MTC in Provo began construction in July 1974 and

4545-589: The Arts, a performing arts center, is at 425 West Center Street. It features plays, ballets, art showcases, and musical performances throughout the year. The size of the building is a total of 42,000 square feet (3,902 m ). The main performance hall seats 670 people. Three dance studios are furnished with a piano, ballet bars, and mirrors. Another theater, the Brinton Black Box Theater, seats 60 for smaller, more intimate events. There are also two art galleries:

4646-578: The Great Basin Desert is "encompassed within" that area. This article describes the general ecology of the region, including the high-elevation areas, and does not rely on minor differences in the definitions of the ecoregion or desert. See Great Basin montane forests for more specific details on the high-elevation ecoregion. The climate of the Great Basin desert is characterized by extremes: hot, dry summers and cold, snowy winters; frigid alpine ridges and warm, windy valleys; days over 90 °F (32 °C) followed by nights near 40 °F (4 °C). This

4747-437: The Great Basin Desert vary according to altitude : from low salty dry lakes, up through rolling sagebrush valleys, to pinyon - juniper forests. The significant variation between valleys and peaks has created a variety of habitat niches which has in turn led to many small, isolated populations of genetically unique plant and animal species throughout the region. According to Grayson, more than 600 species of vertebrates live in

4848-553: The LDS Church. According to data taken in 2000 by the ARDA , 88% of the overall population, and 98% of religious adherents in the Provo-Orem area are Latter-day Saints. According to a study in 2015, the Provo-Orem metro area is about as dissimilar to the rest of America as possible. Weighing factors such as race, housing, income, and education, the study ranked Provo-Orem 376th of 381 of the United States' largest cities in terms of resemblance to

4949-574: The Lahontan salt shrub basin ecoregion to the west. Light-colored soils with high salt and alkali content occur and are dry for extended periods. The saltbush vegetation common to this ecoregion has a higher tolerance for extremes in temperature, aridity, and salinity than big sagebrush , which dominates ecoregion 13c at somewhat higher elevation. The basins in Nevada, in contrast to those in Utah, are more constricted in area and are more influenced by nearby mountain ranges with extensive carbonate rock exposures, which provide water by percolation through

5050-692: The Nevada-Oregon border. However, as in the warmer Lahontan Basin to the west, lightning fires are common and a post-fire monoculture of cheatgrass tends to replace the native grasses and shrubs. Grazing is the major land use, though there is some agriculture near the Humboldt River . The basins and semi-arid uplands of the Carbonate Sagebrush Valleys surround the carbonate ranges of eastern Nevada. These valleys are underlain by limestone or dolomite . The combination of summer moisture and

5151-618: The News , Toby Keith , Sean Hannity , Fred Willard , and Taylor Hicks . In 2015, the event included performances by Journey and Olivia Holt , and was hosted by television personality Montel Williams . Provo has two other large festivals each fall. Festival Latinoamericano is an annual family-oriented Labor Day weekend event in downtown Provo that offers the community a taste of the region's Hispanic culture through ethnic food, vendors, and performances. The city has hosted an annual LGBT Provo Pride Festival since 2013. The Covey Center for

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5252-593: The Timpanog contributed to the Walker War . Fort Utah was renamed Provo in 1850 for Étienne Provost , an early French-Canadian trapper who arrived in the region in 1825. In 1850, the first schoolhouse was constructed in Provo, built within Utah Fort. As more Latter-day Saints arrived, Provo quickly grew as a city. It soon was nicknamed The Garden City with a large number of fruit orchards and gardens there. In 1872,

5353-427: The U.S., is headquartered in Provo. Novell , the dominant personal computer networking company from the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s, was headquartered in Provo and occupied several buildings at the height of its success. It was eventually acquired by The Attachmate Group and then by Micro Focus , which still maintains facilities there. The Food & Care Coalition is a local organization providing services to

5454-541: The Uinta National Forest is less than 45 minutes south of Salt Lake City and only minutes away from Provo, Utah. In descending order of land area it is located in parts of Utah , Wasatch , Juab , and Sanpete counties. One of the most prominent features of the Uinta National Forest is the Mount Timpanogos mountain peak, towering over 11,750 feet (3,580 m) above sea level. However, the highest point in

5555-556: The Unita National Forest (as well as the entire Wasatch Range ) is the nearby Mount Nebo at 11,928 feet (3,636 m) above sea level. There are three officially designated wilderness areas in Uinta National Forest that are part of the National Wilderness Preservation System . One of them lies partly in neighboring Wasatch National Forest . There is a SNOTEL weather station near Trial Lake, in

5656-407: The basin floor, to a shrub community dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush and the endemic Lahontan sagebrush at higher elevations. Understory grasses increase the productivity towards the northeast, outside the rain shadow influence of the Sierra Nevada . The low hills and mountains of the Lahontan Basin experience frequent summer lightning and fire. The introduced cheatgrass tends to replace

5757-407: The city was 88.52% White , 0.46% Black or African American , 0.80% American Indian , 1.83% Asian , 0.84% Pacific Islander , 5.10% from other races , and 2.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 10.47% of the population. There were 29,192 households, of which 33.8% had children under 18 living with them, 57.0% were married couples living together, 7.8% had

5858-510: The city. The population density was 2,697.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,041.5/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 84.8% White , 0.7% Black or African American , 0.8% American Indian , 2.5% Asian , 1.1% Pacific Islander , 6.6% from other races , and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 15.2% of the population. There were 31,524 households, of which 34.8% had children under 18 living with them, 55.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had

5959-418: The country. According to the breakdown for Utah County in 2010, most people (90.6%) were Christian, with Latter-day Saints constituting 88.7% of the population. Catholics constituted 1.3% and Protestants constituted 0.6%. Other religions constituted 0.3% of the population. 9.1% of the population did not adhere to any religion. Provo has more than 100 restaurants (with over 60 in the downtown area) and

6060-502: The desert formed by the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada that blocks moisture from the Pacific Ocean, while the Rocky Mountains create a barrier effect that restricts moisture from the Gulf of Mexico . Different locations in the desert have different amounts of precipitation depending on the strength of these rain shadows. The environment is influenced by Pleistocene lakes that dried after

6161-518: The desert. Isolated from one mountain range to the next, montane communities in the region have long individual histories, each one affected differently by chance factors of migration over vast expanses of desert. Smaller communities are also vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and to genetic drift. White fir , Douglas fir , and ponderosa pines are found in the middle elevations of some mountain ranges, while limber pine , subalpine fir , Engelmann spruce , and bristlecone pines occupy

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6262-534: The ecoregion. The Great Basin National Park , located in a central part of the Great Basin desert, provides perhaps the best example of a typical climate for the region. Fallon's climate is typical of lower elevations in the western part of the Great Basin desert. Located in the Forty Mile Desert , precipitation is rare, and summers are hot, though temperatures are more moderate than those in deserts like

6363-641: The extensive Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bus system. UTA's commuter rail service, the FrontRunner , opened an extension to Provo from Salt Lake City on December 10, 2012. The Provo Intermodal Center , adjacent to the Amtrak station, connects the FrontRunner with local bus routes, as well as Greyhound service. Great Basin Desert The Great Basin Desert is part of the Great Basin between

6464-433: The fastest-growing private companies in the United States. The largest, DieCuts With a View, is ranked number 1403 and has revenues of $ 26.2 million. Other companies on the list are VitalSmarts (ranked 4109, with $ 41.4 million in revenue), and Connect Public Relations (ranked 3694, with $ 6.1 million in revenue). The global recreation and entertainment company Ryze Trampoline Parks , with locations throughout Asia, Europe and

6565-475: The floristic Great Basin, which has a similar areal footprint to the ecoregion. Sixty-three of these species have been identified as species of conservation concern due to contracting natural habitats (for example, Centrocercus urophasianus , Vulpes macrotis , Dipodomys ordii , and Phrynosoma platyrhinos ). The ecology of the desert varies across geography also. The desert's high elevation and location between mountain ranges influences regional climate:

6666-573: The former "Northern Basin and Range" ecoregion and renamed it the "Great Basin Shrub Steppe". Although the EPA had refined the boundaries of the Central Basin and Range ecoregion by 2003, when USGS geographer Christopher Soulard wrote his reports on the region, his maps used the 1999 boundary for the "Central Basin and Range", which is essentially the same as the "Great Basin Shrub Steppe". He states that

6767-416: The higher elevations, continuing to the upper tree line. Mountain mahogany often dominates drier, warmer south-facing slopes. Pure stands of aspen are also common in this community. The bristlecone pine is an important species that is indicative of the Great Basin desert. Bristlecones live a long time, some for thousands of years. The harsh areas they occupy are often devoid of other plant life, so there

6868-696: The homeless and low-income citizens of Provo and Utah Counties. They also provide volunteer opportunities. According to Provo's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were: Every July, Provo hosts America's Freedom Festival at Provo which includes the Stadium of Fire at BYU. It is held in LaVell Edwards Stadium , home to BYU's NCAA football team. The Independence Day festivities are popular among residents and have featured such notable figures as Bob Hope , David Hasselhoff , Reba McEntire , Mandy Moore , Huey Lewis and

6969-417: The introduction of annual grasses and widespread livestock grazing have contributed to contraction of the sagebrush zone. According to Noss, 99 percent of the sagebrush-grass zone has been damaged by livestock, with major damage in 30 percent of the zone. Other shrubs commonly found in the sagebrush zone are rabbitbrush , bitterbrush , snowberry , and Mormon tea (ephedra). The pinyon–juniper community

7070-404: The last freeze expected on April 29, and the first temperature equal to or hotter than 90 °F (32.2 °C) on May 30. Rainfall is not infrequent during the spring: over 5.10 inches (130 mm) was recorded in the Mays of 1995 and 2011, and a total of 12.29 inches (312.2 mm) fell during the four-month span of March to June 2005 – in contrast as little as 2.04 inches (51.8 mm) fell in

7171-516: The last ice age: Lake Lahontan and Lake Bonneville . Each of these lakes left different amounts of salinity and alkalinity. The Great Basin Desert is defined by its animals and plants, yet the boundaries are unclear. Scientists have different definitions of the Great Basin Desert, which are often defined by negatives. J. Robert Macey defines the "Great Basin scrub desert as lacking creosote bush ." The Great Basin Desert includes several arid basins lacking Larrea tridentata (chaparral) such as

7272-457: The lower basin slopes. These shrubs distinguish the Lahontan salt shrub basin and the Tonopah Basin from other Nevada salt shrub ecoregions. Sand dunes may occur where windblown sand accumulates against a barrier; dune complexes support a specialized plant community and diverse small mammal populations. The Carson and Truckee Rivers , originating in the Sierra Nevada, provide water for irrigated farming. Riparian corridors along these rivers support

7373-409: The metropolitan area near Orem is substantially drier, receiving only around 13.5 inches (340 mm) of precipitation and consequently has a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk ). The wettest calendar year in Provo has been 1983 with 37.54 inches (953.5 mm) and the driest 2020 with 7.28 inches (184.9 mm). Winters are cold with substantial snowfall averaging 57.2 inches (145 cm) and

7474-414: The mountains (and occasionally the city streets). The geography allows for hiking, skiing , fishing and other outdoor activities. Provo's climate can be classified as either a hot-summer Mediterranean climate classification ( Köppen : Csa ) or as a cool semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk ). Overall, annual rainfall at the location of BYU is around 17.23 inches (440 mm); however, the western part of

7575-400: The mountains, little moisture is left to bring to the desert. The rain shadow effect is more pronounced closer to the Sierra Nevada, with yearly precipitation in the Great Basin desert averaging 9 inches (230 mm) in the west and 12 inches (300 mm) inches in the east. Moisture that manages to reach the ecoregion tends to precipitate as rain and snow in higher elevations, primarily over

7676-478: The north edge of the city, US-189 heads northeast into Provo Canyon , where it connects with Heber . Amtrak , the national passenger rail system, provides service to Provo station , operating its California Zephyr daily in both directions between Chicago , Illinois , and Emeryville , California (in the San Francisco Bay Area ). Provo also can be accessed by Salt Lake Express intercity buses and

7777-416: The only trees found in this ecoregion. Hills, alluvial fans , and low mountains comprise the Lahontan sagebrush slopes ecoregion. These areas are rock controlled and their soils lack the fine lacustrine sediments that are found in lower parts of the Lahontan Basin. Because moisture increases and alkalinity decreases with elevation, the shrub community grades from the greasewood - shadscale community on

7878-425: The record wet month of September 1982, which saw 6.53 inches (165.9 mm) of total precipitation, including 4.15 inches (105.4 mm) over the last six days from a storm moving in from Arizona. The last maximum of 90 °F (32.2 °C) can be expected around September 10, and the first morning below freezing on October 14. At the 2010 census , 112,488 people, 31,524 households and 21,166 families resided in

7979-468: The region's long, parallel mountains. Ultimately, any precipitation that falls within the desert fails to drain either to the Atlantic Ocean or to the Pacific Ocean (thus the term "basin"). Instead, precipitation drains to ephemeral or saline lakes via streams, or disappears via evaporation or absorption into the soil . The desert is the coldest of the deserts in North America. On any given day,

8080-468: The same months of 2012. Being too far north to gain any influence from the monsoon except in rare cases like the 4.38 inches (111.3 mm) of rainfall of August 1983, Provo's summers are hot and dry, though relatively short – no maxima above 100 °F (37.8 °C) have been recorded outside the range of June 7 to August 27. Monthly maxima average over 91 °F (32.8 °C) in July and August, and precipitation averages under one inch per month with

8181-436: The seats are elected by the city as a whole. These elected officials serve four-year terms, with elections alternating every two years. Provo has a Mayor–council government , which creates two separate but equal branches of government. The mayor is chief executive of the city and the council is the legislative and policy-making body of the city. The mayor is Michelle Kaufusi , who has been in office since December 5, 2017. BYU

8282-466: The shrub community and provides fuel for recurrent fires. The Lahontan uplands are restricted to the highest elevations of the mountains ranges within the Lahontan salt shrub basin. Slopes vary in elevation from 6,400 to 8,800 feet (2,000 to 2,700 m) and are covered in sagebrush, grasses, and scattered Utah juniper . Pinyon grows with juniper on the Stillwater Range and on Fairview Peak in

8383-453: The soil type in any one area will determine exactly which plants will live there. Certain areas of the valley floors may harbor no life. These parched areas that flood periodically are called playas . On the shores of the playas, shadscale is the dominant plant, but is kept company by iodine bush , saltgrass , spiny hopsage , winterfat , four-winged saltbrush , and green rabbitbrush . Trees are not found in this community. Big greasewood

8484-480: The southeast portion of the Lahontan Basin, but it is otherwise absent from this ecoregion. Low sagebrush and black sagebrush grow to the mountaintops above the woodland zone. Cool-season grasses, including bluebunch wheatgrass , dominate the understory in the north, but are replaced by warm-season grasses, such as Indian ricegrass , in the south. The Upper Humboldt Plains ecoregion is an area of rolling plains punctuated by occasional buttes and low mountains. It

8585-529: The state. Timpview High School has a record of 4A state football championships. A small section of the city lies within Alpine School District . Interstate 15 runs through western Provo, connecting it with the rest of the Wasatch Front and much of Utah. US-89 runs northwest to southeast through the city as State Street, while US-189 connects US-89 with I-15, BYU, and Orem to the north. At

8686-559: The surrounding mountain ranges fill the valleys, often leaving little intervening flat ground. Wyoming big sagebrush and associated grasses are common on the flatter areas, and black sagebrush dominates on the volcanic hills and alluvial fans. This ecoregion tends to have lower species diversity than other sagebrush ecoregions, because of its aridity and isolation from more species-rich areas. Saline playas may occur on available flats. Less shadscale and fewer associated shrubs surround these playas than in other, lower more arid ecoregions in

8787-399: The transition between this mid-elevation brushland and the mountain brush zone of the higher Central Nevada Bald Mountains. The Central Nevada Bald Mountains are dry and mostly treeless. Although they rise only 100 miles (160 km) east of the Sierra Nevada , they lack Sierra species due to the dry conditions. These barren-looking mountains are covered instead by dense mountain brush that

8888-666: The university of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). RMUoHP offers programs in nursing practice, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and health science. RMUoHP will be building Utah County's first new medical school. Provo College is a private, for-profit educational institution specializing in career education. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Provo College offers associate degrees and diplomas in fields such as nursing, medical assisting, criminal justice, graphic design, and office administration. Almost all of Provo

8989-442: The upper limits determined by temperature. The pinyon-juniper community consists of short evergreen trees that rarely grow over 20 feet in height. This zone of dense vegetation, made possible by thermal inversions and increased precipitation, is important to a wide variety of isolated animals that rely on this vegetation interface for survival (for example, Eutamias palmeri ). The trees are widely spaced and have an understory of

9090-551: The varied elevations. Heading from the valley bottoms to the mountain peaks one will encounter constantly changing combinations of plant and animal species making up some 200 distinct biological communities. These communities can be generally grouped into six general communities or "life zones". In the lower valley bottoms where mountain run off evaporates to create saline soils is the shadscale zone. Plants in this community are adapted to living with very little precipitation , high heat, and saline conditions. The amount of water and

9191-786: The weather across the Great Basin desert is variable. The region is extremely mountainous, and the temperatures vary depending on the elevation. In general, temperature decreases 3.6 degrees F for every 1000 feet gained in elevation. This translates to as much as a 30 °F (17 °C) difference between mountaintops and valley floors on the same day at the same time. In the heat of summer this difference can be even more pronounced. With some exceptions wind generally increases with elevation or altitude and thus strong winds are often encountered on mountain tops and ridges. This dry climate and rugged topography proves too harsh for many plant and animal species; however, genetic adaptations to these conditions have led to reasonably high species richness within

9292-498: The west of the Uinta Forest at 10000 feet. It features a subalpine climate ( Köppen Dfc ) with continental characteristics. This climate type is one of the most prevalent in the forest, particularly at higher elevations. Provo, Utah Provo ( / ˈ p r oʊ v oʊ / PROH -voh ) is a city in and the county seat of Utah County , Utah , United States. It is 43 miles (69 km) south of Salt Lake City along

9393-472: The west, including the Lahontan salt shrub ecoregion and the Tonopah Basin ecoregion. Valleys with permanent water support endemic fish populations, such as the Monitor Valley speckled dace . The Central Nevada mid-slope woodland and brushland ecoregion at 6,500 to 8,000 feet (2,000 to 2,400 m) of elevation is analogous in altitudinal range to other woodland areas in Nevada. However, continuous woodland

9494-425: The western edge of the Great Basin desert. The pattern of 'basin and range' with adjacent basins and ranges in this region results in incredible biological diversity. Climate, elevation, soil type, and many anthropogenic variables greatly influence the diversity and distribution of shrubland , grassland , and woodland communities in the desert. Across the high desert there are numerous sub-climates correlating to

9595-514: Was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 89.3 males. The median household income was $ 34,313, and the median family income was $ 36,393. Males had a median income of $ 32,010 and females $ 20,928. The per capita income was $ 13,207. About 12.5% of families and 26.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those aged 65 or over. The residents of Provo are predominantly members of

9696-412: Was 23.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 96.4 males. At the 2000 census , 105,166 people, 29,192 households and 19,938 families resided in the city. The population density was 2,653.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,024.4/km ). There were 30,374 housing units at an average density of 766.3/sq mi (295.9/km ). The racial makeup of

9797-501: Was completed in July 1976. The MTC was expanded in the early 1990s to become the largest of the 17 such centers than in the world. Additional construction was completed in 2017. The Provo City Library is a public library that occupies the building of the former Brigham Young Academy, built-in 1892. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Its collection contains over 277,000 media. The library

9898-502: Was dedicated in March 2016. The Utah Valley Convention Center opened in 2012. It has 83,578 square feet (7,764.7 m ) of combined meeting, pre-function and garden space. Federally, Provo is part of Utah's 3rd congressional district , represented by Republican John Curtis , elected in 2017. Provo is administered by a seven-member city council and a mayor. Five of the council seats are elected by individual city districts, and two of

9999-423: Was not reached at all between 1999 and 2006, during the very cold January 1917 (average temperature 14.9 °F; −9.5 °C), seventeen mornings fell this cold. By contrast, in several recent winters like 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2004–05, and 2005–06, averages have been above freezing every month. Temperatures warm rapidly during the spring, with the first afternoon over 70 °F (21.1 °C) on March 21,

10100-734: Was once the size of Lake Erie . Playas occur in the lowest elevation of the Lahontan Basin, and represent the terminus or sink of rivers running east of the Sierra Nevada . The playas fill with seasonal runoff from the surrounding mountains, providing habitat for migratory birds. Black greasewood or four-winged saltbush may grow around the perimeter in the transition to the salt shrub community, where they often stabilize areas of low sand dunes . This ecoregion has limited grazing potential. Windblown salt dust from exposed playas may affect upland soils and vegetation. The Lahontan and Tonopah playas are important as wildlife habitat, as well as for recreational and military uses. The Lahontan salt shrub basin

10201-625: Was originally called Timpanogas, a Numic ( Ute people ) word perhaps meaning "rock river". The area was inhabited by the Timpanogos . It was the largest and most settled area in modern-day Utah. The ample food from the Provo River made the Timpanogos a peaceful people. The area also served as the traditional meeting place for the Ute and Shoshone tribes and was used as a common location for worship of their creator deity. Silvestre Vélez de Escalante ,

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