Bryce Bird, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality, said more proactive measures might be on the table in the future, but the menu has not yet been set for the Great Salt Lake.
Just a few states away, however, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has spent decades figuring out how to get a handle on its own dangerous sand and salt storms blowing from Owens Lake.
Utah lawmakers have eliminated the legal barriers to these options in recent years, and even set aside a $40 million nest egg this year specifically for the Great Salt Lake that could be tapped for things like leases.
1 year ago
Amy Joi O’Donoghue, Deseret News and Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune
Today, California’s Owens Lake holds a hopeful message for Utah and the millions of people living just a few miles from their own terminal lake’s drying shores. It shows the inevitable air quality problem can be solved.
These saline lakes in the Great Basin are terminal, meaning they are fed by rivers and are a hydrologic end point. When the rivers start to dry up or are diverted, the lakes’ levels of salinity increase.
The Division of Water Resources reported that drought conditions are lower than last year and water conservation has maintained consistent water levels.
The dam is a key source of energy in the region, generating power for as many as 5.8 million homes and businesses in seven states, and is at high risk of being forced offline should the lake's level drop below 3,490 feet above sea level.
Traveling to high altitude does not afford much relief from the heat wave in northern Utah this week, with blame falling on the high-pressure system above.
The Great Salt Lake State Park has closed its boat ramp due to low water levels. Visitors to the park can still launch their boats, but will do so at their own risk, according to the Utah Division of State Parks.