Drying of the Great Salt Lake

What is happening?

For decades, the Great Salt Lake has seen a dramatic loss in water volume. Currently,        the lake sits at over 10′ below its historic average. Since federal monitoring began in      1847, the lake has lost 40% of its surface area.

Why is it a concern?

The drying of the Great Salt Lake has the potential to wipe out entire ecosystems. The wetlands that surround the lake are important for migrating birds because they feed on brine shrimp in the lake and nest there before migrating again.

The lake drying up also exposes the dusty lake bed which is prone to dust storms. This  leads to implications for human health. Tiny dust particles that can be kicked up from       the lake bed can make it hard to breathe especially for those with pre-existing        breathing difficulties and our already poor air quality.

There are also potential long-term effects. In soil samples from the lake bed, there have been elevated levels of arsenic which can cause cancer with prolonged exposure.