Status of Great Salt Lake – lake levels, industry and governmental negligence
A recent Salt Lake Tribune article highlighted the current state and challenges of Great Salt Lake, emphasizing that this summer’s conditions are unlikely to be an anomaly. The lake’s southern arm, which saw some recovery last year, is losing water rapidly due to ongoing upstream diversions, increased evaporation from high temperatures, and a particularly dry June. Despite temporary improvements, the lake is expected to drop further this summer.
Our concern of the state’s mismanagement of the lake prompted us to join a lawsuit to hold them accountable for improving the water levels. The urgency of addressing water diversion and consumption issues to prevent further declines is rooted in the looming ecosystem and public health threats.
Another recent Tribune article revealed an audit which showed that Utah ignored companies underpaying for mining on Great Salt Lake for years. The Utah Legislature and big industries failed to ensure the state got the right payments for extracting valuable minerals. This oversight not only cost the state money but also hurt efforts to manage and protect the lake. The mix-up with payments and old contracts shows a lack of competent management. This mismanagement makes the lake’s problems worse, so it’s urgent to enforce strict conservation measures and hold industries accountable for their impact. As an air quality advocacy group, we demand immediate action to fix these issues and focus on the health and sustainability of Great Salt Lake.
Most of the “efforts” that the state boasts will restore the lake, have not been well planned or evaluated for their results. Read more indepthly about the issues with their plans and programs here.
The continued decline of Great Salt Lake is a looming public health hazard. We already face a climate future with more ozone (smog), more wildfire smoke, and more pollution from the state’s determination to force feed us inland ports. The last thing we need is more and stronger dust storms. We must not allow our lawmakers to keep their heads firmly planted in the sand (of the dry lake bed).