The Great Salt Lake in Utah is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere and a remnant of ancient Lake Bonneville. This endorheic basin, meaning it has no outlet to the sea, plays a significant role in the region’s ecology and economy. Its unique hypersaline environment supports a specialized ecosystem and contributes to local industries. However, water levels have become a considerable concern.
Current Water Levels and Historical Context
The Great Salt Lake’s water levels have seen a sustained decline over recent decades. As of January 28, 2025, the lake’s elevation was approximately 4,191.8 feet above sea level, several feet below its historical average of around 4,200 feet. The lake reached a record low of 4,188.5 feet in November 2022, surpassing the previous low set in 1963.
This reduction has led to a substantial loss of both surface area and volume. The lake’s surface area, historically around 1,700 square miles, shrank to about 950 square miles in 2021, representing a nearly 44 percent loss. The total water volume is now little more than one-fourth of what it was at its high point in 1987, reflecting a 73 percent water loss.
Factors Contributing to Declining Levels
The Great Salt Lake’s declining water levels stem from environmental and human-influenced factors. Prolonged drought conditions across the Western United States, exacerbated by climate change, have reduced snowpack in the Wasatch Mountains, which serve as the lake’s primary water source. Rising temperatures also contribute to increased evaporation from the lake’s surface, diminishing its volume.
Human activities, particularly extensive water diversion, play a significant role. Approximately 62 percent of the river water that would naturally flow into the lake is diverted for various human uses. Agricultural practices account for nearly two-thirds of this diverted water consumption within the Great Salt Lake Basin. Between 68 and 80 percent of agricultural water use is for irrigating crops such as alfalfa and hay, primarily for livestock feed.
Municipal and industrial sectors also contribute to water diversion, accounting for about 25 percent of the total diverted water consumption in the basin. The combined effect of reduced natural inflow and significant water extraction for agriculture, urban areas, and industry, has pushed the lake into its current precarious state.
Ecological and Economic Impacts
The shrinking Great Salt Lake presents extensive consequences for the environment and local economies. Ecologically, water loss threatens migratory bird populations, with 10 to 12 million birds from 330 to 350 different species relying on the lake and its wetlands as a stopover and breeding ground. The lake’s wetlands constitute about 75 percent of Utah’s total wetlands, providing habitat.
The lake’s ecosystem, centered around brine shrimp and brine flies, is also impacted. These species form a foundational food source for migratory birds, and their populations are jeopardized by increasing salinity as water levels drop. The lake’s salinity has spiked to approximately 17 percent in some areas, compared to a historical range of 9 to 12 percent, posing a direct threat to the survival of these organisms.
Public health concerns arise from the exposure of the lakebed, which contains sediments laced with naturally occurring elements and industrial byproducts, including arsenic, lead, lithium, copper, manganese, iron, and mercury. When winds pick up these dry sediments, they can form dust clouds that irritate lungs and contribute to respiratory issues in nearby communities. While sediments have elevated levels, long-term monitoring indicates that airborne concentrations of these elements remain below health thresholds.
Economically, the lake contributes between $1.9 billion and $2.5 billion annually to Utah’s economy. Mineral extraction companies, which harvest magnesium, salt, potassium sulfate, and lithium from the lake’s brines, face increased operational costs as water levels decline, requiring them to extend intake canals. Tourism, particularly birdwatching, also experiences negative effects.
Conservation Efforts and Future Outlook
Efforts are underway to address the Great Salt Lake’s declining levels through legislative actions and strategic water conservation. The Utah Legislature is investing resources to increase water flow to the lake. Recent legislative measures, such as HB453, aim to modernize oversight of mineral extraction by incentivizing sustainable practices and imposing fees for methods that consume excessive water.
Water conservation strategies are being developed across sectors. In agriculture, proposals include reducing water consumption for livestock feed crops through more efficient irrigation techniques, crop shifting, and potentially fallowing fields. Urban areas are encouraged to adopt water-saving measures like xeriscaping, smart water meters, and incentive programs to reduce residential and industrial water use.
For the lake to stabilize and begin refilling, research suggests a 35 percent reduction in human water consumption within the Great Salt Lake watershed is needed. Experts propose an optimal elevation range for the lake between 4,198 and 4,205 feet above sea level. Achieving this would require a significant increase in average inflows, estimated at 471,000 acre-feet per year, representing a 33 percent increase over recent years. Without substantial policy changes and conservation efforts, some projections indicate the lake could face desiccation by 2028.