As the saying used to go in Utah, we live in a pretty great state. But of course, it’s not without its challenges. My mom helped me have an appreciation for that growing up, whether she knew it or not.
Being a single mother with six children was no easy task and was hard on the family finances. I was the youngest and, according to my siblings, the most spoiled, which I don’t disagree with but had no control over. I was also the favorite, but that’s another story. Being financially strapped, my mother had to be creative when it came to recreation and getting her kids outside.
The Great Salt Lake became our version of Lagoon.
As a child I loved the Great Salt Lake, running along the beach stirring up the brine flies or wading out into the water for what seemed like miles and still only being waist deep. I loved the buoyancy of the water, picnics, too many birds to count, and of course hiking and seeing the buffalo on Antelope Island. Only later did I realize many Utahns thought of the lake as gross. I have come to have a new appreciation for the lake, its ecological importance, its importance to human health and the fact that it is in real trouble. Something must be done to protect this gem of the West.
The shrinking and potential disappearance of the Great Salt Lake is one of the most important environmental issues and public health threats in Utah’s history. By the end of this year we could surpass the record low of 4,188.5 feet above sea level set in November of 2022. When the lakebed dries and the wind kicks up, we get dust events that are bad for our health. In addition to PM 2.5 and PM 10, which are unhealthful to breathe, there are heavy metals in the dust like cadmium, lead, copper, mercury and arsenic, which are above the EPA’s residential and industrial standards and can lead to health complications with chronic exposure like cardiovascular disease, kidney and liver damage, and increased risk of cancer. Dust storms around the Great Salt Lake are more frequent and more dangerous than many realize. Even if by some miracle we get the lake to what scientists are calling a healthy level of 4,198 feet above sea level, it will only cover about 40% of the dust hotspots.
More water needs to flow into the lake. Too much water is being diverted upstream. Gov. Cox recently announced $200 million in private sector commitments to try and get the lake level to a healthy level by 2034, when the Olympics come to town. It’s better than nothing, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what’s actually needed to save and protect the lake. The Great Salt Lake commissioner’s 2024 Strategic Plan found that “if Utah remains locked in drought conditions for the long term, the lake will need an additional 1.3 million acre-feet of inflows annually to reach a sustainable elevation in the next 10 years. That’s enough water to support more than 2 million households on the Wasatch Front.”
Another element that is putting pressure on the Great Salt Lake’s ecosystem is the rapid development by the Utah Inland Port Authority who has been fast tracking Port Authority Project Areas in Weber County and Tooele that are putting wetlands and the Great Salt Lake’s ecosystem in jeopardy. These project areas will use water and increase traffic, noise and light pollution, all of which can have adverse effects on the environment and public health.
That’s why it’s so urgent that we do everything we can to keep the lake from drying up. Mitigation is much more costly and less effective than taking preventive measures now. Air pollution, toxic exposures, industrial emissions and the climate crisis continue to threaten our health. I feel grateful for the opportunity to work for the things we cherish but also feel a sense of urgency, as we can’t take it for granted that we will always have a livable environment. After all, Utah is a pretty great state, and I plan to keep working hard to keep it that way.