Crews have completed efforts to raise a berm by four feet in an 'emergency surgery' effort to balance the salinity of the shrinking Great Salt Lake.
LAKESIDE, Utah — Crews have completed efforts to raise a berm by four feet in an"emergency surgery" effort to balance the salinity of the shrinking Great Salt Lake.
But as the Great Salt Lake has dropped to historic lows, less water has started to increase the salinity which is causing problems for the ecosystem. Dixon said too much salt was being pushed into the south end of the Great Salt Lake. Brine shrimp can't reproduce and it means less food for birds and other wildlife.
"With the drought continuing, we just need to do all we can to keep the salinity levels where they’re manageable," he said. Great Salt Lake dropped to a new historic low earlier this year as a result of Utah's ongoing mega-drought, water diversion and a changing climate. It presents an ecological disaster for the state with toxic air, reduced snowpack and impacts to health, wildlife and the economy.