One of the main aspects of an ecosystem is water which can have several uses and applications in the urban and natural environment. Salt Lake County has high water access, enhancing the region's quality, bringing various opportunities for planners to take it for granted. In this analysis, water as a contributing factor to the ecosystem services will be assessed in order to identify areas that can be developed in a greenway system framework.
The Utah Division of Water Quality provides water usage data in different regions. Two main regions are identified in the beneficiary usage map of Salt Lake county. In the southwest area, south Oquirrh ridgeline, there is a water habitat for shorebirds which is identified as a secondary contact recreational use that, on the other side, is also applicable for agriculture irrigation purposes. The blue area is cold water that contains aquatic life and is considered for secondary contact recreation use. Red color indicates warm water with agricultural uses, waterfowl and shore bird's habitat, and secondary contact recreation areas. As we can see, east mountains contain cold water with recreational uses, and as we move to the west, agricultural use is a primary application of water in the region. Jordan River is divided into two different cold and warm water areas, which can be addressed by the proximity to Salt Lake City and more urbanized regions that influence the quality of water.
Salt Lake County is a suitable region to grow the agriculture industry. It has fertile soil and high arable land, which can be a good opportunity to develop the region's environmental characteristics through planned development.
By overlaying the water data, areas that can be developed as a greenway system that yields the capability to grow in this setting are identified and included in the next analyses to plan for the greenway networks that operate intertwined with the other elements this system. Water used for agricultural purposes and habitats is excluded from the areas considered for future greenway system development. Also, water sources under the ground and not accessible are not included in the waterway systems intertwined with the greenway network.