70th Annual Utah State Historical Society Conference

Water at the confluence of Past & Future

The Great Salt Lake—one of Utah’s foremost symbols—is facing pressures like never before in modern history. Climate change, urban growth, water diversions, and benign neglect all threaten the future of this body of water that lies at the center of complex ecosystems, as well as our collective cultural identity. Everywhere else in our state and region the same is happening—lakes and rivers are drying and winter snowpacks are shrinking, threatening countless industries and challenging accustomed ways of living on the land.

As we come to grips with drought conditions forecasted as the new normal, the 2022 Program Committee invites proposals from history and allied fields that open interdisciplinary dialogue, and join past with present as we look to shape our shared future. We welcome practitioners in history, the humanities, social sciences, and humanistic environmental sciences to examine themes centered on water in the formation and development of political systems, social structures, and cultural identities across Utah and the Intermountain West.

The moment is ripe to bring interdisciplinary perspectives to bear on the place of water in our society—and our obligations to safeguard it for future generations. History offers crucial foundations for addressing pressing issues that connect water with living communities.

The conference is attended by scholars, students, policymakers, organizations, and members of the general public. We feature a range of formats, from the traditional panels and sessions to more innovative formats.