The Great Salt Lake is considered the largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere.It is also the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. The lake is situated in northern Utah and is believed to be a remnant water body of a prehistoric lake called Lake Bonneville.Lake Bonneville covered much of western Utah and parts of Idaho and Nevada during the Ice Age, its shoreline can still be traced around the Salt Lake Valley. It is the largest remnant of Bonneville, the others being Bear Lake and Utah Lake. The lake extends over five counties of Utah and is bordered by Bonneville Salt flats in the west, and Oquirrh and Stansbury Mountains to the south. In the wet years, water levels of the lake become higher than in the states of Rhode Island and Delaware. Earlier, the Great Salt Lake was considered to be an inland sea of the Pacific Ocean or it was connected to the ocean by some river. Later it was established that the lake receives its water from three major rivers, namely the Weber River, Jordan River, and the Bear River.There are some recreational places located in the Great Salt Lake. The Great Salt Lake State Park and Antelope Island State Park are good places to hang out on a holiday. Sailing is very popular in Antelope Island, located on the south shore. The northwest arm of the lake features the land art installation called the Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson. Saltair is a historic resort that is currently used as a concert venue and from the Visitor Center, you can gaze at Bonneville Lake’s shoreline.Great Salt Lake Geographic LocationThe Great Salt Lake flows through the counties of Weber, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, and Box Elder. The lake is surrounded by extensive wetlands making it one of the most important water resources for migrating birds and a variety of recreational activities. This makes it a great spot for activities like biking trails, hiking, as well as wildlife viewings like bird watching and fishing. Farmington bay is a great place for wildlife viewing facilities. Even though the Great Salt Lake is too salty to support fish, some limited fishing is available around the freshwater inlets. The water level of the lake is higher in the southern section than in the northern part since most tributaries enter from the south. There may not be large schools of fish in the lake, but it forms an important part of the ecosystem.The maximum depth measured in the lake was around 35 ft (11 m). In 1983, when it reached its historic high, the lake water flooded farmlands, houses, and freeways. Minerals gathered in the lake from three rivers leave behind salt and other minerals on the lake bed. Following this, many businesses extract salt and other chemicals from the bed. The bottom of the lake and several beaches contain oolitic sand which functions as the filter of the Salt Lake. To maintain a healthy ecosystem and protect this important water resource, we must address everything that can be done to protect the Great Salt Lake. Some important islands that are formed around the lake are Antelope Island, Goose Island, Stansbury Island, and Strongs Knob.Why is the Great Salt Lake drying up?The iconic Great Salt Lake of Utah is presently drying up due to a variety of reasons. Environmentalists emphasized the significance of climate change which is driving the weather of the region in an uncertain way. The late summer heat and the historic drought had cruelly receded the shoreline. The salt lake’s current water level sits at least 10 ft (3.04 m) below the actual range. It reached a record low in July since 1963. This might threaten the water supply of the state.The lake is drying continually, more drought means less precipitation and farmers need more water for land. At the same time, the lake size is shrinking which indirectly causes air pollution and influences the quality of the snowpack, making it harmful. The large surface area of the lake and a comparatively shallower depth cause rainfall in the area in winter and thunderstorms in summer. This is called the lake effect. This effect boosts the water, but currently, it is at its 5-8% which has also resulted in a lowering of the level. Since the Great Salt Lake is the last waterbody to receive water, it often receives contaminated water which harms the ecosystem. These are the potential factors behind the decreasing water of the lake.Utah state parks are experiencing extremely low levels of water, this also includes the popular Antelope Island State Park. This has caused some parks to shut down. People in the Utah Division claimed that people are doing whatever they can to use water wisely and save water, but still the lake is suffering a lot and the only way to make it better again is by leveling the water up.Salt Level Of Great Salt LakeBonneville Lake was fresh enough for fish to survive in the water but when it began to shrink, its minerals including salt got concentrated in a relatively smaller area. The high salt content of the lake is reflected by the process of evaporation only. More salt is added to the lake every year by streams and rivers owing to its high salinity. Millions of tons flow in the Great Salt Lake every year and the absence of an outlet to any ocean results in the salty water of the lake.The Great Salt Lake is a sodium chloride lake, Gunnison Bay in the north part of it consists of 30% salt and is hypersaline. The salinity of the southern portion varies between 6-27%. About 4.3 billion tons of salt is present in the bed of the Great Salt Lake. Like many salt lakes in the world, it is also possible to float in this salt lake similar to the Dead Sea. However, the composition of the Great Salt Lake’s water is not similar to that of the Dead Sea. Rather it is more similar to the composition of seawater being more enriched in potassium and depleted of calcium. Differences in salinity show two different hues of color in the lake.In 1847, why did Mormons emigrate to the area between the Rocky Mountains and the Great Salt Lake?The main reason why Mormons felt the need to emigrate is to avoid war and violence with Native Americans. They wanted to settle in an isolated place after a first-hand experience of a bloody war and the Great Salt Lake valley seemed ideal to the exhausted emigrators. Mormons eloped from Illinois on a treacherous thousand miles journey to settle in a more peaceful land. Starting their journey from April, Brigham Young with his army of Mormons arrived at the valley of the Salt Lake. They called the place home immediately after discovering it and settled there.Mormons were already considering moving to the west for escaping religious discrimination. After the founder and the leader of the Mormons, Joseph Smith was murdered in 1844, they were bound to leave their old settlements in Illinois. By 1845, the mob violence against the Mormon community reached a peak and more people joined the journey of immigration. The young Mormon leader, Brigham Young a census in which the decision of expedition was put together. The journey started in February 1846 but it was plagued with many hardships. Many people died in the cold harsh winter as whey moved towards the Rocky Mountain. In April 1847, they headed towards the Rockies and reached there by July 24, after traveling for 111 days. When they reached Utah, the terrain was remote and wild. It quickly became an ideal choice for them and they established settlements in the lake area. By the end of 18,472,000 Mormons moved to the lake valley. Previously named the Great Salt Lake City by Brigham Young, the Great Salt Lake lends its name to Salt Lake City. Presently, July 24 is still celebrated as Pioneer day in Utah. Activities honoring the endurance and strength of character of Brigham Young take place on this day.
The Great Salt Lake is considered the largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere.
