Things are looking up for Utah Lake
Sep 19, 2024, 10:36 AM | Updated: Dec 21, 2024, 3:53 pm
Efforts to improve Utah Lake appear to be working as there has been a 70% decrease in invasive species among other improvements. People take a boat out on Utah Lake in Vineyard on Monday, July 3, 2023. (Megan Nielsen/Deseret News)
(Megan Nielsen/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Efforts to improve Utah Lake appear to be working.
There have been some major improvements, including a 70% decrease in invasive species and the amount of algae blooms has been cut in half.
Executive Director of the Utah Lake Authority Luke Peterson said it’s been working hard on improving water quality and the ecosystem is responding.
“Climate change has a lot of powerful negative consequences, but they’re not unstoppable,” Peterson said. “You can fight back and you can help nature get back on its feet and take a positive turn.”
Native plants are growing and a nearly-extinct species of native fish is re-populating.
“These are all really good signs that the lake is coming back,” Peterson said.
Peterson said it’s important to continue this work improving the lake because it supplies Great Salt Lake with a third of its fresh water. If Utah Lake dies, so does the Great Salt Lake.
Britt Johnson is a reporter and anchor for KSL NewsRadio.
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