Over the last century, the Great Salt Lake has dropped 11 feet, exposing half of the vast but shallow lakebed. Experts fear that water developments could drop the level another 10 feet, effectively ending the lake’s very existence which could be catastrophic to Utah’s economy and migratory bird life. Chris Dorsey discusses the high-stakes race to save the Great Salt Lake in his latest column in Forbes.
“Because of Utah’s booming economy, favorable climate, and abundant natural recreation—not-surprisingly—it is the fastest growing state in the country.
That growth, however, has contributed to one of the greatest challenges to ever face Utah—the Great Salt Lake is dying. The largest natural body of water west of the Mississippi is not half the lake it used to be. Experts caution that losing the Great Salt Lake could cost the state $2 billion annually…but it gets worse—far worse. Scientists also warn that a dry lakebed could send clouds of arsenic-laced dust into the air, a natural dirty bomb that could render much of the region uninhabitable.”
