Posted on Feb 3, 2023
Climate change and a population boom could dry up the Great Salt Lake in 5 years
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https://www.npr.org/2023/02/03/ [login to see] /climate-change-and-a-population-boom-could-dry-up-the-great-salt-lake-in-5-years
Trekking along the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake — the largest remaining saltwater lake in the western hemisphere — can feel eerie and lonely.
"These might even be my footprints from last week," says Carly Biedul, pointing to indents in the mud. Biedul is a biologist with the Great Salt Lake Institute. She's bundled up in an orange puffy jacket, gloves and hat. Most important she's wearing thick, sturdy, rubber boots.
The mud with a frozen, slick layer of ice on top gets treacherous. One thing that's hard to prepare for though, is the stench: a pungent odor like sulfur and dead fish. But it's actually a good thing, a sign of a biologically healthy saline lake.
"People have been saying that they miss the lake stink because it just makes them feel like home," Biedul says. "It's just not here [much] anymore, so you're lucky that it gets to smell so bad."
Lucky? Maybe one small bright spot in an otherwise grim story of a looming ecological disaster. The lake doesn't really stink anymore because it's drying ... and dying.
Trekking along the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake — the largest remaining saltwater lake in the western hemisphere — can feel eerie and lonely.
"These might even be my footprints from last week," says Carly Biedul, pointing to indents in the mud. Biedul is a biologist with the Great Salt Lake Institute. She's bundled up in an orange puffy jacket, gloves and hat. Most important she's wearing thick, sturdy, rubber boots.
The mud with a frozen, slick layer of ice on top gets treacherous. One thing that's hard to prepare for though, is the stench: a pungent odor like sulfur and dead fish. But it's actually a good thing, a sign of a biologically healthy saline lake.
"People have been saying that they miss the lake stink because it just makes them feel like home," Biedul says. "It's just not here [much] anymore, so you're lucky that it gets to smell so bad."
Lucky? Maybe one small bright spot in an otherwise grim story of a looming ecological disaster. The lake doesn't really stink anymore because it's drying ... and dying.
Climate change and a population boom could dry up the Great Salt Lake in 5 years
Posted from npr.org
Climate Change
Science
Salt Lake City
Brigham Young University
Environment
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Moench and environmental activists are arguing for buying out alfalfa farmers so more water will return to the Great Salt Lake. But some are encouraged that at the very least saving the lake is one of the top priorities of this legislative session.
From Utah's Capitol Hill, there's a sweeping view of the Salt Lake City skyline, and to the west, past the airport, the receding lake is visible, shimmering gray at dusk. It's an ominous sight, but if nothing else, hard for state leaders to ignore.
Down at the lake, Carly Biedul of the Great Salt Lake Institute is doing her best to keep positive. She thinks there's still time to save this lake, but not much.
"It's really pretty right now, you can see the reflections of the mountains on the water," she says. "And that's kind of what we're been trying to do is find these moments of beauty when it's so ... sad."
..."Moench and environmental activists are arguing for buying out alfalfa farmers so more water will return to the Great Salt Lake. But some are encouraged that at the very least saving the lake is one of the top priorities of this legislative session.
From Utah's Capitol Hill, there's a sweeping view of the Salt Lake City skyline, and to the west, past the airport, the receding lake is visible, shimmering gray at dusk. It's an ominous sight, but if nothing else, hard for state leaders to ignore.
Down at the lake, Carly Biedul of the Great Salt Lake Institute is doing her best to keep positive. She thinks there's still time to save this lake, but not much.
"It's really pretty right now, you can see the reflections of the mountains on the water," she says. "And that's kind of what we're been trying to do is find these moments of beauty when it's so ... sad."
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