Californian environmental advocates fought to save Mono Lake. They took their case all the way to the California Supreme Court in the 1980s. And it worked. Now it's Utah’s turn.
The moon rises behind one of Mono Lake’s iconic tufa formations on the south shore of the lake in Mono County, Calif., on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022. Amid climate change and growing water demands that are withering terminal lakes away, Mono Lake carries a rare hopeful message.This Great Salt Lake Collaborative story is part of day three of our series, “At water’s edge: Searching for solutions at the Great Salt Lake’s sister lakes across the Great Basin.
“We basically said, ‘Hey, the state is in charge of water rights and you gave [away] these water rights,” said Geoff McQuilkin, executive director of the in the 1990s after drawing inspiration from the Mono Lake Committee’s efforts. The group has a similar mission to educate and engage Utahns, helping them understand that the Great Salt Lake is not just a dead, empty sea.
In Utah, a patchwork of cities, towns, agricultural fields and industries across the watershed have dropped the Great Salt Lake by as much as 11 feet, according to a Utah State University analysis. And lawsuits carry risk, because no one truly knows what the courts will decide. Utah has its own history and politics that set it apart from states like California.
Utah lawmakers have eliminated the legal barriers to these options in recent years, and even set aside athis year specifically for the Great Salt Lake that could be tapped for things like leases. The agricultural industry consumes around 63% of the water otherwise destined for the lake, and seems to be the sector most able to move the dial.“To my knowledge, not 1 acre-foot of water has moved,” Clyde said. “I don’t believe they’ve spent any of that money.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Five things to know about Mono Lake — and how it compares to the Great Salt LakeLike the Great Salt Lake, Mono Lake is too salty for fish, which means brine shrimp thrive. See what else the two bodies of water have in common — and how they differ.
Read more »
Is dry California lake a peek into the future of the Great Salt Lake?'It is probably our most expensive type of dust control coming in at $36 million a square mile' - Simply put, saving the Great Salt Lake is the only way to avoid the choice between crippling costs and unbreathable air.
Read more »
What makes the Great Salt Lake experience different but alike to California’s Owens LakeHere are five things you need to know about what makes Owens Lake in California different yet similar to Utah’s Great Salt Lake, and why it matters.
Read more »
To save the Great Salt Lake, here’s why every drop of water mattersFor those working to protect terminal lakes, everything around them makes a difference, from the mountains to the forests to the desert.
Read more »