What is draining the Great Salt Lake?

The precipitous drop in water levels, which has shrunk the Great Salt Lake's footprint by half over the past few decades, stems from a two-fold problem: Climate change has helped decimate the mountain streams that feed the lake, while demand for the streams' fresh water has ballooned for new development, agriculture ...



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The precipitous drop in water levels, which has shrunk the Great Salt Lake's footprint by half over the past few decades, stems from a two-fold problem: Climate change has helped decimate the mountain streams that feed the lake, while demand for the streams' fresh water has ballooned for new development, agriculture ...

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The largest of these, by far, is the Great Salt Lake in Utah. But a recent report found that water diversions for farming, climate change and population growth could mean the lake essentially disappears within five years.

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A recent report suggests the lake could disappear within five years. In fall 2022, the Great Salt Lake hit its lowest water level since record keeping began. The lake's elevation sank to nearly six meters below the long-term average.

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According to a recent study by Brigham Young University, it's possible that Great Salt Lake could dry up completely in the next five years.

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Water experts say it's going to take more than one big year to fill the Great Salt Lake. SALT LAKE CITY — Ever since The Great Salt Lake hit its lowest water level on record in November 2022, concerns over things like arsenic in the exposed lake bed have only grown.

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So just how bad is it, really? A new scientific report warns the lake is on track to disappear in the next five years, unless water use is cut by as much as 50% annually.

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However, the most deleterious effect of the Great Salt Lake drying up is that the air surrounding Salt Lake City could sporadically become poisonous. Since the bed of the Great Salt Lake holds high levels of dangerous particles like arsenic, antimony, copper, zirconium, and various heavy metals.

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Set a lake elevation range goal. Invest in conservation. Invest in water monitoring and modeling. Develop a holistic water management plan.

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Lake Levels Due to its shallowness (an average of 14 feet deep and a maximum of 35 feet deep), the water level can fall dramatically during dry years and rise during wet years. When snowpack melts in the spring, the lake usually rises about 2 feet. However, record snowpack in 2023 triggered a rise of 5.5 feet!

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“Impressive winter precipitation and record-breaking snowpack have undoubtedly improved the situation of Great Salt Lake,” Hasenyager said. “However, it's important to note that it will take much more than one above-average winter to fully replenish the lake's water levels and address our long-term challenges.”

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Compass Minerals announced in 2021 it was seeking to extract lithium from the Great Salt Lake under a pilot program. The company, which has a plant in Ogden, said it was utilizing new methods of extracting the precious resource within the ambient brine of the Great Salt Lake.

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The lake contributes $1.9 billion to Utah's economy (adjusted for inflation), provides over 7,700 jobs, supports the highest concentration of Utah's valuable wetlands, and provides a stopover for millions of birds to rest and refuel during migration each year. Lake effect snow also contributes 5-10% to Utah's snowpack.

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Changes in climate over thousands of years reduced the depth of Lake Bonneville from nearly 1,000 feet to today's average of only 16 feet for the Great Salt Lake. The lake still contains nearly 4.6 cubic miles of water.

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The state of Utah owns basically most of the Great Salt Lake, including Antelope Island, Fremont Island, Gunnison Island, the Ogden and Farmington bay wetland areas, along with the entire lakebed.

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The lake provides major economic benefits The Great Salt Lake doesn't just benefit birds — it helps the economy. According to the Utah Division of Water Resources, the lake's annual economic output is $1.32 billion. The total labor income is $375.1 million and it's responsible for 7,706 jobs.

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The Great Salt Lake is home to many important biological and wildlife species, from archaea, to bacteria, to phytoplankton (400+ species). Perhaps the three most apparent species that can be seen with the naked eye are brine shrimp (tons), brine flies (billions) and birds (millions).

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Because of the abundant algae and halophiles, as well as the high salinity, the lake does not support fish — but it teems with brine shrimp and brine flies, which provide essential nutrition for migrating birds.

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Even when the water temperature is in the 20's (°F), the lake does not freeze, due to the high salt content of the water; but icebergs have been ob- served floating on the lake's surface, formed from freshwater that flows into the lake from tributaries and freezes on the surface before it mixes with the brine.

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