The disappearance of the Great Salt Lake would cause an ecological disaster affecting millions. Balancing food production with water needs is crucial. Restoring the lake’s ecosystem and ensuring a stable water supply is essential. Action is necessary.
The Lake’s disappearance would cause severe ecological, public health and economic damage to Utah, the region and the U.S. The ecosystem supporting millions of migrating birds could collapse, and tourism, skiing, mining and real estate industries would suffer greatly. The situation has worsened over the years and is now critical.
Agriculture uses 71% of Utah’s water, while cities use 17%. Much of the remaining water evaporates. Due to the belief that resources are abundant, conservatives resist regulation. Pressuring citizens about large families is counterproductive.
Providing more water is the most economical way to sustain the lake. Through consistent actions, we can preserve, stabilize and increase its elevation. The contributions of local leaders and volunteers in enhancing water flows, improving quality, conserving upstream habitats and restoring wetlands deserve recognition.
State leaders have expressed support for the decision to shorten the environmental review process of a southeastern Utah uranium project to 14 days, compared to the previous timeline of months or years. Governor Cox stated, “For years, we’ve called for commonsense reforms that make it easier to build without sacrificing environmental stewardship. There’s no reason permitting can’t be both timely and responsible — and we’re hopeful this project will prove just that.”
I urge our elected officials to learn from their federal counterparts: address the Great Salt Lake’s issues promptly and find solutions now, not by 2050 or 2035!
To address significant issues, three elements are required: vision, funding and leadership.
For example: In 1950, New York City’s Wollman Rink was completed. By 1986, it had fallen into disrepair despite almost $20 million in reconstruction costs. Donald Trump offered to fix it and finished the project for $2 million in four months.
In 1998, the 2002 Winter Olympics faced scandal and financial issues. Mitt Romney was chosen to resolve these problems, successfully selling 95% of tickets, engaging 23,000 volunteers and generating a $100 million surplus for future upkeep.
Both examples highlight decisive leadership and effective action.
Prompt action on drought and water allocation is essential. Delays by local leaders let scientists and activists control the narrative, using climate change, scarcity and population control to justify extending the situation and raising costs.
As reported by Jay Evensen, Steven Lund from Manti, with experience in the oil and gas industry, proposes drilling deep below the Great Basin to access water in aquifers. He believes modern horizontal drilling technology and sufficient wells could refill the lake in about a year. I urge Utah’s political, cultural and religious leaders to revisit his ideas.
Deep freshwater aquifers, ranging in depths from 400 to several thousand meters, may be more prevalent than previously estimated and are largely unexplored. Repurposing oil and gas data can reduce exploration costs. Lund plans to process enough water to fill the Great Salt Lake and supply the state through pipelines.
The USGS estimates 900 million acre-feet of ground water is stored in aquifers in the Southwest alluvial basins. Utah needs 500,000 acre-feet to restore the Great Salt Lake. To confirm this, wells costing $48 million need to be drilled. Expanding the potential benefits, Lake Powell could be filled in about 14 months.
Current options include stopping the spending of money on growth, continuing legal battles, forcing companies to change their operations, winning public support, or allowing the lake to vanish. Unfortunately, until we adopt liberal solutions, Utah’s perceived inaction will translate into a barrage of criticism.
A unique opportunity exists to broaden the search for deep groundwater. In Utah, numerous individuals with expertise could be called upon to address the crisis.
To add to our coming celebrations, I urge Governor Cox to add one more. Deep groundwater remains underrepresented in hydrogeological research and government policies. Find your Trump or your Romney and put us on track to celebrate the full recovery of the Great Salt Lake.