Just before the start of the 2023 legislative session on January 17, authors of the new briefing Emergency measures needed to rescue Great Salt Lake from ongoing collapse, are calling on lawmakers to implement an emergency rescue plan, one that will dramatically increase the water flow into Great Salt Lake.
According to the report, the lake is now 10 feet below its minimal healthy level, and it stated emergency measures are needed the first half of this year to avoid catastrophic changes in the Great Salt Lake system. The authors recommended setting a minimum streamflow requirement of 2.5 million acre-feet per year, which, according to the authors, translates to a 30-50% reduction in consumptive water use in the Great Salt Lake watershed.
The report said consequences of a collapsed lake ecosystem include air and water pollution, loss of industry, and collapsed agricultural production.
More about the briefing from the Great Salt Lake Collaborative:
Utah lawmakers haven't done enough to save Great Salt Lake so far, report warns (sltrib.com)
Researchers, environmental groups call for 'emergency rescue' of Great Salt Lake (fox13now.com)
