Picture this, you have just crossed the plains, finally making it to a lake. You are looking over a valley and the sight is inspiring. Your feet are aching, and you can barely keep your eyes open. The sun is blinding your eyes, and the valley around you is something that you have been waiting to see for the longest time. You are happy to camp here for a few days. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, your leader looks at the Great Salt Lake, and says “This is the place!” You are so overjoyed, and are so grateful because of this Lake. How would you feel if you found out that 200 years later, this lake that gave you rest, and was your final destination, was completely gone? You would grieve in anguish and horror. And you will, for The Great Salt Lake is now shrinking at a rate never before seen.
Over the past few years, The Great Salt Lake has been at a record low. The recent snow in 2023 has helped slightly, yet The Great Salt Lake is still in grave danger. The Utah government officials have released this, as they have just passed a bill, called HB453. This establishes new restrictions on mineral extraction from companies operating. Which will protect the saline body of water and its surrounding wetlands. It also restricts people from establishing any new mining and water extraction from being put in place. This is very important to Utah, for most of the water that is used for agriculture and irrigation comes from lakes. Without the water, there would be so many complications with our lives.
Most people who live in Utah, at least know about the Great Salt Lake. Even though over 34% of the population don’t really care about the Lake, or what happens to it. These people do not realize that if the Great Salt Lake was to dry up, there would be some absolutely horrid consequences. The most major one is, if the lake were to dry up, the lakebed has some of the deadliest chemicals that, if released into the air, would cause sickness and people could become poisoned. Also, those 14% of people who think that nothing would happen, there would be a deadly recreation of the famous “Great Dust Bowl.” This is because the lakebed would now be exposed to the air. Those two things combined would cause so many people to leave the state, and would cause major displacement among the Utah residents.
Now there is one more thing that makes the Great Salt Lake so important. The Great Salt Lake was the thing that allowed Utah to become a state. As you have seen, this lake is one of the most historically significant in all of the U.S. because there is no other lake that has such an important message to give. First of all, the Great Salt Lake is descended from one of the largest lakes that ever existed, Lake Bonivel. Next, this lake is one of the things that made the pioneers stay, for it allowed them to be able to create a town, and start agriculture. Lastly, this is the Lake that is not like any other in North America. All of these things are what make the Great Salt Lake such a great place to be and what help Utah become a state, as it is both a recreational center and a novel.
It is important to know what may happen to the Great Salt Lake, in order to preserve the historical significance, to prevent displacement, to stop the recreation of The Great Dust Bowl, and to continue to allow water used for agriculture. There are so many reasons to care, and there are so many ways that we are able to help, even if just a little bit.
