While Utah leaders have a large goal to raise Great Salt Lake levels before the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, those who oversee Utah Lake have their own lake health goal.
They’d like to see the lake free of carp and water-stealing invasive vegetation within the next decade, said Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi, who is also chair of the Utah Lake Authority board.
“In Utah, we believe nothing is impossible. Carp, we are coming for you, and we won’t stop until Utah Lake’s waters are clear again,” she said at the Utah Lake Symposium on Thursday.
Carp have been a longstanding issue for the lake, as experts have pointed out that they’ve ultimately become destructive to the lake’s native vegetation since being introduced to its ecosystem in the 1880s. They became pervasive enough to threaten the June sucker, a fish species endemic to the lake.
Their damage to the ecosystem sparked an initiative to remove millions of pounds of carp from the lake, while efforts to repopulate the June sucker helped it be removed from the endangered species list in 2021. Carp play a role in harmful algal blooms, as well — an issue that has also plagued the lake.
The authority, Kaufusi said, will lean on research from Minnesota that found reducing carp can improve water clarity and significantly reduce harmful algal blooms.
Meanwhile, she added the organization will also seek to remove “water-guzzling” invasive plant species like phragmites, tamarisk and Russian olives by 2034. The latter can consume up to 200 gallons of water daily, said Luke Peterson, executive director of the Utah Lake Authority.
The authority and other agencies have reduced phragmites by approximately 85% along the lake’s shoreline in recent years, but the species is known for spreading quickly. Their goal extends to streams and rivers in the area to reduce the risk of spread downstream.
“By eliminating these invasives and replacing them with native and beneficial plants, millions more gallons of water will reach Great Salt Lake, and Utah Lake will be cleaner, healthier and more fun to recreate on,” Peterson said.
Utah Lake remains in a decent position, water-wise, despite the drought that has returned to the state over the past two years. After reaching its maximum capacity last year, it’s down to 71% capacity, but it’s still slightly above its median average for October.
It has also received sufficient water over the last few years, allowing water managers to divert extra water to the Great Salt Lake via the Jordan River, which connects the two bodies of water.
This story will be updated.