The shrinking Great Salt Lake threatens wildlife

Download

The Great Salt Lake in the U.S. state of Utah has been shrinking alarmingly for years. The drought in the U.S. West is expected to make the lake's levels hit a 170-year low this year.

The Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. The dramatic decline in water levels is a result of years of diverting river water for agricultural and industrial uses, according to NASA.

The receding water has already affected diverse wildlife like pelicans in the Farmington Bay basin of Great Salt Lake. Sailboats have been hoisted out of the water to keep them from getting stuck in the mud. More dry lakebed getting exposed could send arsenic-laced dust into the air, threatening millions of locals' health.

Pink water washes over a salt crust along the receding edge of the Great Salt Lake in Farmington, Utah, U.S., May 4, 2021. /CFP

The Great Salt Lake recedes from Antelope Island near Salt Lake City in Farmington, Utah, U.S., May 4, 2021. /CFP

A pelican floats on Farmington Bay near the Great Salt Lake in Farmington, Utah, U.S., June 29, 2021. /CFP

A lone bison walks along the receding edge of the Great Salt Lake on its way to a watering hole at Antelope Island, Utah, U.S., April 30, 2021. /CFP

A lone dead tree stump stands as dust blows along the receding edge of the Great Salt Lake near Antelope Island, Utah, U.S., April 19, 2021. /CFP

Cracked mud at the Great Salt Lake near Antelope Island, Utah, U.S., April 25, 2021. /CFP

Sailboats that were hoisted out of the water in dry dock at the Great Salt Lake Marina near Salt Lake City in Farmington, Utah, U.S., June 4, 2021. /CFP

(All images via CFP)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)

Open in CGTN APP for better experience

Search Trends