great salt lake
Newsletter
Drying of the Great Salt Lake releases significant greenhouse gases
The Great Salt Lake emitted 4.1 million tons of greenhouse gases in 2020, contributing significantly to Utah’s emissions, researchers report.
In short:
- The Great Salt Lake's dried bed emitted 4.1 million tons of CO2 and other gases in 2020.
- Human activities and climate change have exacerbated the lake's decline.
- Emissions from dried lakes are not currently included in official carbon inventories.
Key quote:
"This is the first time we’re saying, ‘This is something that’s on us.’"
— Soren Brothers, climate change curator, Royal Ontario Museum
Why this matters:
The drying of lakes, driven by human actions and climate change, releases significant greenhouse gases, which are currently unaccounted for in national carbon inventories. This oversight means that actual emissions might be higher than reported, impacting climate policy and mitigation efforts.
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Newsletter
Great Salt Lake dust harms Pacific Islanders and Hispanics
Research from the University of Utah shows that Pacific Islanders and Hispanics are most affected by dust from the Great Salt Lake's exposed bed, highlighting the environmental justice issue in the region.
In short:
- The Great Salt Lake’s drying has left 800 square miles of exposed bed, causing harmful dust exposure.
- During wind events, PM2.5 levels spike to 26 μg/m3, exceeding the WHO threshold of 15 μg/m3.
- Restoring the lake could reduce disparities in dust exposure among racial and ethnic groups.
Key quote:
“People here in Utah are concerned about the lake for a variety of reasons... this study adds environmental justice and the equity implications of the drying lake to the conversation.”
— Sara Grineski, professor of sociology and environmental studies at the University of Utah
Why this matters:
As the Great Salt Lake continues to recede, largely due to prolonged drought and water diversion for agriculture and urban use, vast swaths of the lake bed are left exposed. These areas become significant sources of dust, which can carry harmful pollutants and particulate matter into the air. Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations, often residing in areas closer to these exposed regions, face higher health risks from dust exposure, leading to respiratory issues and other health complications that can worsen existing disparities.
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Here’s what the Great Salt Lake’s dust is doing to our bodies
Dust pollution is the first problem to emerge from a desiccated terminal lake, said Kevin Perry, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah, and will be the last to be solved.
Newsletter
The Great Salt Lake is shrinking rapidly and Utah has failed to stop it, a new lawsuit says
A coalition of environmental groups is suing Utah's government, saying the state has failed to stop the Great Salt Lake from shrinking at an alarming pace.
Newsletter
A terminal case? Shrinking inland seas expose salty particulates and more
The Salton Sea and Great Salt Lake face distinct challenges and have different potential fixes. But together, they highlight a much broader trend that may pose public health threats in locations around the globe: dust blowing from the beds of drying terminal lakes.
Mormon Church works to save the Great Salt Lake with big water donation
Its leaders have permanently donated a small reservoir’s worth of church-owned water to the lake, which some scientists warn could disappear before the decade ends.
Newsletter
Great Salt Lake still at high risk of disappearing after epic snow, scientists warn
After an incredible winter full of rain and snow, there is a glimmer of hope on North America’s largest terminal lake, where water levels had fallen to a record-low last fall amid a historic, climate change-fueled drought across the West.
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