The Great Salt Lake of Utah: The plight of reducing water volume  

All you must have read about America’s very own Dead Sea in your Geography text books. This large saltwater lake, as most of you would remember, is located in the northern part of the US state of Utah and is popularly known as the Great Salt Lake. Recently, Utah’s one-of-a-kind natural wonder was reported by the European Space Agency to have lost nearly half of its area, to the extent where large expanses of the lakebed were exposed. But how did this happen? The answer is depleting water levels caused by a megadrought. It has been wreaking havoc throughout southwestern USA since the beginning of summer this year. This crisis has in turn forced people in Utah to curb their water use. Here's what is known so far. 

Great Salt Lake and its fate 
After thorough analysis of the satellite images that had recorded the declining water levels since 1985, the US Geological Survey has recently revealed that the surface water elevation of the Great Salt Lake has reduced to its record low since the mid 1800s. The latest number stands at an average of only 1277 metres above sea level. As you can imagine, this has led to a significant loss of the lake’s surface area, exposing as much as 2000 square kilometres of the lakebed, which alarming for sure.  

Triggers behind declining water volume 
During the late 1980s, the Great Salt Lake was in all its glory with the highest volume of water, and now it has only one-fourth remaining. Okay, but why has the Great Salt Lake met with such a fate? Let us find out. 

Climate change-fuelled drought: Like every other water body, the Great Salt Lake too undergoes seasonal cycles of water loss followed by replenishment. This happens when summer is followed by rainy season, and dry autumn is followed by snowy winter, allowing the lake to fill back up. But since the last few years, evaporation and depletion of water have far exceeded the amount of water re-entering the lake. As of now, experts are assuming that the water level will keep reducing until late autumn or early winter, after which they expect it to be replenished.  

Rapid urbanisation: There’s another factor affecting the lake’s decreasing water levels: Lack of ways through which the lake regains water. Okay, what does this even mean? The nearby streams that feed on the lake for agricultural purposes or are serving residential areas are supposed to re-direct the water after use. However, they often fail to do so. So, the water is lost not only due to natural but also artificial reasons and are not replaced immediately. This happens due to rapid urbanisation. Utah is one of the fastest growing US states with increasing population, especially in the metropolitan Salt Lake City.  

What if the lake dries up? 
Depleting water levels in the Great Salt Lake poses severe consequences, both for the economy and the ecology of the state of Utah. For those unaware, the lake is home to hundreds of migratory birds and seasonal wildlife. It is a great tourist spot too! Moreover, it generates high amounts of snowpack and contributes to the state’s growth by helping in mineral extraction. As the lake shrinks in size, it turns saltier, threatening the lives surrounding. This, in turn, will take a toll on tourism surrounding it.  

In addition, the depleting water also affects the air quality. This is how it works: When the lakebed is exposed, the soil becomes dry, enhancing the dust content in the air. This dust particles also contain traces of arsenic, copper and other harmful heavy metals that have accumulated in the lake, thanks to mining activities over the years. As you can imagine, in the long run, these will act as a public health hazard, causing respiratory ailments.