The Great Salt Lake is different from other lakes. There is no life but the shrimp in the lake, and the lake is extremely salty. How does the cold weather affect this unique lake?
According to learn.genetics.Utah, surviving extremes and fluctuations, the Great Salt Lake averages about 14 feet deep and has a maximum depth of 33 feet. “Its shallow depth means that much of its surface area is exposed to the air and is subject to its seasonal temperature fluctuations.” A popular question is how does the lake change during the winter and what can we expect? Brian Packer, a Biology teacher at Kearns High School, says Yes, the lake is expected to change because the evaporation slows down. With the lake’s evaporation slowing down, “The lake can start to refill if enough water is coming from the supplying lakes.” The Great Salt Lake’s current conditions include very low water levels which can cause multiple issues for the surrounding environment. According to Utah.gov’s article about Environment and Ecology, “Increased dust, less snow, reduced lake access, elevated salinity, habitat loss, island bridges, more invasive plant growth and negative economic consequences” are all results of cold weather. Though with the lower temperatures here, things may be looking up as well.
The Great Salt Lake is located in Northern Utah, Salt Lake City. The Great Salt Lake State Park is located at 13312 W 1075 S, Magna, UT 84044. There you can see the beautiful lake with the mountains in the distance, the boat dock, and you can talk with the Visiting Center to get fun facts and learn new things about the Great Salt Lake. The winter visiting for the park is open from Dawn to 5:00pm and the Visitor center are open daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm, and it costs a $10 dollar fee to enter the park.
The well-known Great Salt Lake used to be called Lake Bonneville. It was a fresh lake that came to be about 32,000 years ago, and it expanded to about 20,000 square miles long. Around 14,500 years ago there was a break in the sandstone wall. There was a large flash flood which expanded to about 159 million gallons per second. As a result, the lake dropped 350 feet. Through the many years to follow, the Lake experienced harsh droughts. The things that determine the current water levels of the Great Salt Lake are the precipitation, evaporation, temperatures, and runoff.
We have learned that with the lake’s surface area exposed and subject to seasonal temperature fluctuations like this winter’s temperature drops, there are expectations of the Great Salt Lake’s water levels rising. Along with the lake’s unique past, the Great Salt Lake would be a good stop for your next adventure.