Salt Lake City

The shrinking Great Salt Lake puts Utah at risk of an ecological and public health emergency. Local scientists are stepping up, sharing actionable steps to help save it.

Researchers have published an emergency briefing warning that the Great Salt Lake could disappear “as we know it” in the next five years. They’re calling on Utah’s governor, legislature and residents to make drastic changes to reverse the lake’s decline.

The Great Salt Lake reached record lows this year and Utah lawmakers are scrambling for solutions. One key factor will be preserving the largest river that feeds the lake. But solutions aren’t easy to find.

In 2021, Flagstaff, Ariz., and Boulder County, Colo., launched the 4 Corners Carbon Coalition to help spur innovation in carbon dioxide removal around the region. Last week, Santa Fe, N.M., and Salt Lake City also joined the group.

The Great Salt Lake shrunk to historic lows this year and water levels continue to drop. The largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River supports mineral extraction, recreation, brine shrimp and migratory birds.

In 2016, a wealthy Utah family bought The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah’s biggest newspaper. Now, the owner has shrunk the 90-person newsroom to just 56,...