On May 4, 2021, the Great Salt Lake is seen receding from Anthelope Island near Salt Lake City. The lake has been shrinking over the years and the drought in the American West could make it even worse. Already, the receding waters are affecting nesting birds that depend on the largest natural lake west the Mississippi River. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerThe Great Salt Lake's silvery blue waters stretch across the Utah desert. They have covered an area that is nearly as large as Delaware for most of their history. The largest natural lake west the Mississippi River has been shrinking for years. A drought in the American West could make it the worst year yet.Already, the receding water has affected the nesting area of the millions of pelicans dependent on the lake. To prevent them getting stuck in the mud, sailboats were lifted out of the water. The risk of arsenic-laced particles in the air could increase if more lakebeds are exposed.Lynn de Freitas (executive director of Friends of the Great Salt Lake) stated that "a lot of us have been talking about the Lake as flatlining."This year, the lake's levels will be at a 170-year low. This comes as the U.S. West is facing a severe drought and struggling to manage its already low reservoirs. Utah Governor. Spencer Cox, a Republican has asked people to stop watering their lawns and "pray for rain."It is not the only challenge facing the Great Salt Lake. For years, people have diverted water from rivers into the lake to supply water for crops and homes. The lake's shallow depth of 35 feet (11 m) quickly leads to receding shorelines.On June 13, 2021, a man walks along the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake near Salt Lake City. The lake has been shrinking over the years and the drought that gripped the American West could make it even worse. Already, the receding waters are affecting nesting birds that depend on the largest natural lake west the Mississippi River. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerThe area of water that is still there stretches across northern Utah. It has highways at one end and remote land at the other. The resort was once a popular spot for sunbathers, who could float in the additional salty water like corks. A 10-minute walk takes you to the beach from picnic tables that were once just a short stroll away.Robert Atkinson (91) remembers the resort and the sensation of weightlessness in water. He returned to the lake this year in a motorized paraglider and found that it had changed.He said, "It's much deeper than I would have expected it"The waves are now replaced by a gravelly, dry lakebed of 750 sq miles (1,942 km). According to Kevin Perry, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah, dust can be whipped up from the lakebed, which is naturally occurring arsenic.On May 4, 2021 pink water washed over a salt crust along the receding edge the Great Salt Lake. The lake has been shrinking over the years and the drought that gripped the American West could make it the worst year yet. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerBecause of the seasonal geographical conditions that trap pollutants between the mountains, the wind blows through an area that has some of the worst wintertime air quality in the country.Perry warns about the fate of California's Owens Lake. It was dried out to supply thirsty Los Angeles with water and then created a dustbowl that took millions of dollars to clean up. Perry stated that the Great Salt Lake is larger and more close to a population.The crust on a lot of Utah's huge lake bed makes it harder for dust to blow. Perry is currently researching the life expectancy of the protective crust and the potential dangers to human health from arsenic in the soil.This year looks particularly bleak. Utah is the most dry state in the country. Most of Utah's water comes from snowfall. The snowpack was lower than normal and the soil was very dry last winter, which meant that much of the snowmelt down the mountains had soaked into the soil.Farmington Bay, near the Great Salt Lake, is home to a Pelican. It was spotted floating on Tuesday, June 29, 2021 in Farmington, Utah. The lake has been shrinking over the years and the drought that is gripping the American West could make it even worse. Already, the receding waters are threatening nesting pelicans which depend on the largest natural lake west the Mississippi River. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerSpring runoff can cause the Great Salt Lake to rise up to 2ft (half a meter) in most years. Perry stated that it was only 6 inches (15 cm) this year.He said, "We have never seen an April lake level this low."Laura Vernon, Great Salt Lake Coordinator, said that more people are likely to have ventured onto the crust because it is more exposed.She stated that the longer we go without rain, the more salt crust will weather and the more dust will become free-floating because there is less protective crust.According to McKenzie Skiles (a University of Utah snow hydrologist), swirling dust could also accelerate the melting of Utah's winter snow. According to her study, the snow melted one week earlier than expected due to dust from a storm. Although most of the dust was from other sources, there are concerns about the state's billion-dollar ski industry.On April 19, 2021, a single stump of a dead tree stands as dust blows towards the Great Salt Lake's receding edge near Antelope Island. The lake has been shrinking over the years and drought conditions in the American West could make it even worse. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerShe stated, "No one wants dirty snow to ski."Although the vast lake's waters are too salty to most animals, except brine shrimps, it is a serene paradise for 65-year-old sailors Marilyn Ross. It boasts breathtaking views of distant peaks.She said, "You can go out on the lake and it's much better than going to a psychiatrist. It's very calming."The little red boat, Promiscuous, that she and her husband have owned for over 20 years, was lifted out of the water by a huge crane as the season began. The boats would be stuck in the mud, rather than gliding over the waves due to record-low lake levels. The other marina has been closed for many years due to low water levels.Ross stated, "Some people don’t believe that we’re ever going to get back in."Utah's Brine shrimp industry supports a $57million fish food industry. However, in the future, less water may make it too salty for the tiny creatures to survive.Robert Atkinson (91), is being pushed along the shoreline by Laurie Conklin, his daughter, before he flew over the Great Salt Lake near Salt Lake City on June 18, 2021. The resort was once closed and sunbathers would flounder in the salty water. A 10-minute walk takes you to the beach from picnic tables that were once just a short stroll away. Atkinson still remembers the resort and the sensation of weightlessness in water. He returned to the lake this year to fly in a motorized paraglider. He said, "It's much deeper than I would have expected." Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerJaimi Butler, Great Salt Lake Institute coordinator at Westminster College in Salt Lake City said that "we're really coming into a crucial time for the Great Salt Lake." She studies the American white Pelican, which is one of the largest birds in North America.They flock to Gunnison Island in the lake, where as high as 20% of their bird population nests. Male and female birds cooperate to keep an eye on the eggs at all time.Butler stated, "Mom goes fishing while dad stays at home,"The falling lake levels have opened up a land bridge that connects the island to the mainland, which allows foxes to cross and hunt rodents and other foods. This activity scares shy birds who are used to living in quiet places, so they leave the nests and allow the gulls to consume the baby birds.Saltair, Utah, was a popular swimming spot in 1933. Saltair is a long-defunct resort that once attracted sunbathers who could float in the extra salty water. A 10-minute walk from the beach is now enough to reach picnic tables. Credit: Salt Lake Tribune via APRobert Atkinson flew over the Great Salt Lake in a tandem paramotoring flight near Salt Lake City on June 18, 2021. The resort was once popular with sunbathers who could float in the additional salty water like corks. A 10-minute walk takes you to the beach from picnic tables that were once just a short stroll away. Atkinson, now 91, recalls the resort and the sensation of weightlessness in water. He returned to the lake this year to fly in a motorized paraglider. He said, "It's much deeper than I would have expected." Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn June 17, 2021, a man floated like a cork in extra-salty waters of Great Salt Lake near Salt Lake City. For much of its history, the Great Salt Lake's silvery blue waters spanned the Utah desert. It covered an area almost equal to Delaware. The largest natural lake west the Mississippi River has been shrinking for years. A drought in the American West could make 2015 the worst year yet. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn April 30, 2021, a single bison walks along Antelope Island's receding edge to get to a watering hole. It is expected that the lake will drop to a 170-year low in this year. This comes at a time when the U.S. West is bracing itself for a severe wildfire season. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn June 17, 2021, visitors stood in the shallow waters near Salt Lake City. The lake's silvery blue waters stretch across the Utah desert. It has covered an area almost as large as Delaware for most of its history. The largest natural lake west the Mississippi River has been shrinking for years. A drought in the American West could make 2015 the worst year yet. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerPelicans gather at an island in Farmington Bay, near the Great Salt Lake, Tuesday, June 29, 2021. Farmington, Utah. The Great Salt Lake in Utah is shrinking over the years. A drought that grips the American West could make the year even worse. Already, the receding water has a negative impact on nesting pelicans who are dependent on the largest natural lake west the Mississippi River. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerThis photograph, taken with a fisheye lens, shows cracked mud at Utah's Great Salt Lake on April 25, 2021 near Antelope Island. The Utah lake has been shrinking over the years and the drought that is gripping the American West could make it the worst year yet. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerSailboats, which were lifted out of the water, are now dry docked at the Great Salt Lake Marina in Salt Lake City on June 4, 2021. To prevent them getting stuck in the mud, the boats were taken out of the water this year. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn June 3, 2021, the Great Salt Lake Marina near Salt Lake City hoists sailboats out of the water. To prevent them getting stuck in the mud, the boats were taken out of the water this year. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn May 13, 2021 at Antelope Island in Utah, the shallow water can be seen from the top. The Great Salt Lake's silvery blue waters stretch across the Utah desert. They have covered an area almost as large as Delaware for most of their history. The largest natural lake west the Mississippi River has been shrinking for years. A drought in the American West could make 2015 the worst year yet. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerOn June 3, 2021, a sign warning of low water launch at own risk is posted at Great Salt Lake Marina near Salt Lake City. To prevent them getting stuck in the mud, the boats were removed from the Great Salt Lake Marina on June 3, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerNear Salt Lake City, people gather at the Great Salt Lake's receding edge to view the sunset on June 13, 2021. The lake has been shrinking over the years and drought conditions in the American West could make it even worse. Credit: AP Photo/Rick BowmerThe lake is not only important for pelicans. Many species use the lake as a stopover on their southward journey.According to a study by Utah State University, the lake's water level would need to be maintained if it was to stop rivers from flowing into it. The problem is a big one for Utah, home to the nation's fastest growing population. It will take a significant shift in water allocation and perceptions of the lake.Perry stated that there are many people who believe every drop of salt in the Great Salt Lake is wasted. Perry said, "That's my perspective that I want to change. The lake also has needs. They're not being met."2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Without permission, this material may not be broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
