The imminent collapse of the Great Salt Lake

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Source: Science Magazine

Original: https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.aeg4335?af=R...

Published: 2026-03-12T06:00:03Z

Utah's Great Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in the Western Hemisphere, has shrunk significantly in recent decades due to climate change and overuse of water resources for irrigation and industry[2]. The lake lost approximately 60% of its surface area and 73% of its water volume[2][3]. The drying lake bed releases dangerous substances - in 2020, the dried lake bed released 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which represented about a seven percent increase in Utah's human-caused emissions[1][2]. Reduced lake levels pose multiple hazards, including toxic dust, loss of bird habitat, and impact on various industries[1]. Water levels are currently below what state authorities consider healthy, and despite two favorable winters with higher precipitation, large areas of the lake bed remain dry[1].