Oct 07, 2015 Downwinders of Utah

**Update** 

Launch event October 3rd, 10:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M.

Free Film Screening 6:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. 

More info here!

“Downwinders of Utah” is an interactive geospatial timeline depicting the story of Utah nuclear fallout related to atmospheric testing of the Nevada test site.

Beginning in 1951, the era of nuclear weapons testing was a time of tremendous change at both national and local levels. In the name of national security, a variety of nuclear weapons were tested in a remote area of the Nevada desert known as the Nevada Test Site.  Fallout and radiation from these tests have affected communities across the nation, in many cases resulting in the loss of property, health, and life.

The Downwinders of Utah project presents an in-depth study of the nuclear detonations, radioactive fallout and events, which resulted in devastating effects for Utah’s “Downwinder” population.  Through the creation of an interactive timeline, detailed information on nuclear detonations from the Nevada Test Site and fallout statistics for all Utah counties are presented through cartographic maps, animated reconstruction models, interactive motion charts and a variety of graphics related to testing methods, cloud heights and dispersal patterns.  In addition to these components, this project includes historic photographs of nuclear detonations, archived newspaper articles depicting impacts and government deception imparted to residents as well as anecdotal oral histories of the era from a few of Utah’s surviving Downwinders.

As an on-going collaboration between the J. Willard Marriott Library’s GIS Services department and various contributors, additional materials and interactive components will be added to this project as they become available. This project is available for viewing through the J. Willard Marriott Library’s website at: http://lib.utah.edu/services/geospatial/downwinders/

For additional project information, contact Justin Sorensen at justin.sorensen@utah.edu