Utah s Great Salt Lake is a remnant of prehistoric freshwater Lake Bonneville, which once covered much of western Utah. It s the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, and one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. MaxPixel (CCO Public Domain)
In the hot summer of 2021, one of America s most spectacular lakes has been in the news and the reason for that is not good.
Salt Lake City, Utah, is just a short road trip away from its natural namesake, a large body of water known as the Great Salt Lake, or the GSL. Filled with around 4.5 to 4.9 billion tons (4 to 4.4 billion metric tons) of dissolved salt, the lake has certain areas that are roughly 10 times saltier than the ocean.
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One of Utah s most unique natural treasures is disappearing
The water level in Utah s Great Salt Lake today is inches away from a 58-year low, state officials say, and Western drought conditions fueled by the climate crisis have exacerbated conditions.
Posted: Jul 17, 2021 1:51 PM
Posted By: CNN
Great Salt Lake is also known as America s Dead Sea owing to a likeness to its much smaller Middle Eastern counterpart but scientists worry the moniker could soon take new meaning.
Human water consumption and diversion have long depleted the Utah lake. Its level today is inches away from a 58-year low, state officials say, and Western drought conditions fueled by the climate crisis have exacerbated conditions.
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How bad is Utah’s drought? Water managers dipping into emergency supply Amy Joi O Donoghue © Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Boaters enjoy the water near the dam at Jordanelle State Park on Friday, July 16, 2021. The water levels are low due to drought.
Utah crops are suffering or fields are fallow, cattle are sold off as ranchers face a loss of rangeland, and water managers are dipping into emergency supplies as the tendrils of this extreme drought refuse to loosen their grip on the West.
“We are no longer pulling water stored from this year’s runoff. Instead, we’re relying on water that has been stored in our reservoirs during previous years. We’re pulling water from our emergency savings,” said Utah Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Brian Steed. “No one knows how long this drought will last, so it’s vital that we avoid using our stored water too quickly. Failing to save water now could lead to far more difficult circumstanc
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(Photo : Getty Images)
Great Salt Lake
A senior geologist with the Utah Geological Survey, Michael Van Denberg, says that microbialites - underwater reef-like rock mounds, are at risk of being prone to the air.
Van Denberg told KCPW that when the lake level is down, with the structures in the open, this might lead to their death - and the attractive microbial mat inhabiting on top of these structures will start eroding off the top.
Dr. Bonnie Baxter in Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College reveals that the condition could signify destruction for animals the lake is supporting, since the microbes make up the base of the whole ecosystem. Baxter said the uncomplicated food chain most people are aware of pertaining the lake is that birds visit the lake and they feed on the invertebrates like the brine shrimp and the brine flies.
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