The Great Salt Lake: An Update on Current Levels, Ongoing Challenges, and Our Next Steps

The Great Salt Lake: An Update on Current Levels, Ongoing Challenges, and Our Next Steps

Nestled within the heart of the Wasatch Front lies the Great Salt Lake, a remarkable body of water with tremendous ecological and cultural significance that plays a crucial role in sustaining life for both wildlife and human residents. Not only does the lake provide vital water resources to the communities along the Wasatch Front, but it also serves as a sanctuary for over 12 million migratory birds from 300 diverse species, offering them a haven during their long journeys from Alaska to South America. However, the lake is facing an unprecedented challenge as water levels plunge to historic lows due to drought conditions, overuse, and climate change. Low water levels threaten the very existence of the ecosystems and communities the lake supports.

The region’s water resources rely on the relationship between the meteorological cycle and the lake’s geographic location. Snowpack accumulates in the surrounding mountains and provides water for the Wasatch Front. This snowpack has been branded “The Greatest Snow on Earth” and causes the “lake effect snow” phenomenon that provides a crucial source of precipitation for the valley and our ski resorts.

Image of the Northern end of the Great Salt Lake

Image by Getty Images: Freethedust

Dangers of Drying Lake: Air Quality and Health Risks

The implications of the ongoing decline in Great Salt Lake’s water levels are severe and far-reaching. As the lake recedes, the exposed lakebed becomes vulnerable to wind erosion, leading to harmful dust storms that can have detrimental effects on both human health and fragile ecosystems. The airborne particles carried by these storms contain heavy metals, which pose a serious health risk when inhaled. Over time, these particles can contribute to various respiratory and cardiovascular ailments. It is crucial for the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and local officials to safeguard communities from toxic exposure. This is especially important as there is currently a lack of guidance from the EPA regarding the toxic dust coming from the Great Salt Lake.

Researchers at the University of Utah have discovered toxic materials in dust samples taken from recently uncovered areas of the Great Salt Lake Playa. These dangerous substances include heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and arsenic, as well as harmful pollutants such as sulfate and chloride compounds. Furthermore, a study from NASA published this spring showed that Tooele and the west side of Salt Lake City are at a higher risk of exposure to toxic pollutants from dust events. As the lake levels continue to decline, these events will only increase in intensity, which poses a significant risk to public health and the local environment.

Image of great salt lake playa dust storm
Image of great salt lake playa dust storm
Image of great salt lake playa dust storm

Images by: Bonnie K. Baxter, Ph.D. Director, Great Salt Lake Institute Professor of Biology Westminster University

Economic Impacts

According to a study conducted by BYU, the Great Salt Lake supports 9,000 jobs and generates $2.5 billion in economic activity annually. This is mainly due to the harvesting of brine shrimp, mineral extraction, and the recreation industry. If the lake were to dry up, it could have serious consequences for mining and our local ski industry. 

 

With upwards of 10% of Utah’s snowpack generated each year from lake effect snow, a dry lake bed will disrupt the delicate meteorological balance that provides Utah with the “greatest snow on earth.” As more lakebed is exposed, more dust will transport onto snowpack reserves to accelerate snow melt and further harm Utah’s growing winter sports industry. The economic impacts will be significant: Utah’s ski industry alone provides 31,800 jobs and generates $2.51 billion in annual economic activity across the state.

Sector Economic output Labor income Total economic value Jobs Industry 1,549 424 1,973 5,400 Recreation 186 63 249 1,800 Ski industry* 110 53 163 1,000 Aquaculture 78 28 106 600 Total 1,923 568 2,491 8,800 *Estimates include 5% of Utah’s ski industry—the approximate amount of Wasatch Front resort snowfall that comes from Great Salt Lake evaporation. Estimates are from 7–10 expressed in 2022 USD. These numbers should be considered as underestimates because they do not include the broader ecosystem services provided by the lake system

Graph source: Abbott, B. W., Baxter, B. K., Busche, K., de Freitas, L., Frei, R., Gomez, T., … Belmont, P. (2023). Great Salt Lake Report. Retrieved from https://pws.byu.edu/GSL%20report%202023.

Fluctuations and Trends: Understanding the Current Water Levels

Terminal lakes like the Great Salt Lake are especially prone to fluctuations in water level because they have no outlets to the ocean. That means relatively small changes in water inflow, whether it be from snowmelt and precipitation, or from agriculture and municipal water use, can produce big changes in lake levels.

 

Utah experienced a historically low snowpack this winter: reaching less than half the state’s typical average by March 7, 2026. The corresponding loss in snowmelt, combined with existing drought conditions across the Great Basin, present a very real possibility that the lake will reach new historic lows this summer. As of June 2026, the lake’s current water level sits at an elevation of 4191 feet: only three feet above its record low of 4188 feet set in November, 2022.

HEAL Utah's Great Salt Lake Advocacy: Legislative Challenges and Successes

HEAL Utah is a leader in saving the Great Salt Lake by advocating for communities exposed to the toxic dust storms that blow off its exposed surface. We continue to co-lead statewide coalitions focused on lake conservation, air quality, and public health while advocating for policies that address the root causes of the lake’s decline.

One of the most significant developments came in 2025, when the state of Utah moved to acquire the US Magnesium facility, cancel its mineral leases, and return associated water rights to the Great Salt Lake. This milestone represents an important step toward improving the lake’s long-term health while reducing a major source of pollution near its shores.


HEAL Utah has played a key role in the lengthy process of holding US Magnesium accountable for its impacts on the Great Salt Lake. In 2023 for instance, we rallied over 1000 comments opposing a key water permit application by the company to prevent US Magnesium from diverting an additional 100,000 gallons of water per minute from the Great Salt Lake.

HEAL has also worked closely with the Utah Division of Air Quality and other partners to expand air quality monitoring around the Great Salt Lake. As more lakebed becomes exposed during low-water periods, monitoring remains essential to understanding and addressing the health risks associated with dust emissions: especially on nearby farming communities, vulnerable groups, and low-elevation urban areas.

During the 2025 legislative session, HEAL Utah supported several measures that benefit the Great Salt Lake and its watershed. H.B. 244 established the Bear River Bay Wildlife Management Area, helping protect critical habitat and ecosystem functions on the lake. H.B. 41 strengthened groundwater protections, watershed monitoring, statewide water planning, and water reuse efforts—important steps toward securing the long-term water resources that sustain the Great Salt Lake. HEAL also supported additional conservation measures in 2026, including water-wise landscaping initiatives designed to reduce demand on Utah’s limited water supplies.

Sunset over the Great Salt Lake

A Race Against Time: The Urgency of Conservation

The Great Salt Lake’s future remains one of Utah’s most urgent environmental challenges. Recent years have demonstrated that meaningful action can make a difference. Water conservation efforts, habitat protections, expanded monitoring, and the return of water rights to the lake have all contributed to a growing recognition that the lake’s health is inseparable from the health of Utah’s communities, economy, and environment.

 

At the same time, many of the factors that contributed to the lake’s decline remain unresolved. Population growth, increasing water demand, prolonged drought, and a changing climate continue to place pressure on the watershed. Protecting the Great Salt Lake will require sustained leadership, continued investment, and a commitment to science-based decision-making at every level of government.

 

HEAL Utah remains committed to advancing solutions that protect lake levels, reduce dust and air quality risks, preserve critical wildlife habitat, and ensure future generations inherit a healthy and resilient Great Salt Lake. The progress made so far demonstrates what is possible when communities, policymakers, and advocates work together—but the work is far from finished.

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