CAN WE SAVE THE GREAT SALT LAKE? – The Western is a uniquely American art form. It conjures images of cowboys, Native Americans and the pioneering spirit—not to mention movie stars like Clint Eastwood, Barbara Stanwyck, Graham Greene, and Kevin Costner. Perhaps the most captivating character in a good Western is the environment which presents beauty, adventure, and danger.
A speaking tour brought me to Salt Lake City, Utah. My manager Rocky was with me and we’re both fans of Westerns. We decided to explore the Great Salt Lake’s Antelope Island which is more of a peninsula since it is accessible by road. Instead of a Conestoga Wagon we traveled there in a rented SUV. Rugged terrain, vast open plains, mountains, desert, and herds of bison—Antelope Island had them all. We felt transported back in time to the Old West.
The Great Salt Lake is the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi. It’s the remnant of a vast prehistoric freshwater lake that once covered most of western Utah. When the last ice age ended 11,000 years ago the waters receded leaving behind a smaller lake which is seven times saltier than sea water. Three freshwater rivers, the Weber, Jordan and Bear flow into the Great Salt Lake. Minerals from these rivers, especially salt are retained there because it has no outlet. While the lake is too salty for fish, it’s home to algae, brine shrimp and brine flies which are a food source for millions of migratory birds.
Native Americans have lived there for thousands of years and carefully utilized its resources for hunting and harvesting salt. It’s a vital part of indigenous culture and livelihood.
Rocky and I were in awe of this unique ecosystem. The salt marsh smell, clear blue sky, pristine shorelines, grassy hills, vast hues of desert colors were surrounded by majestic mountains. Although teeming with life, a quiet serenity resonates there. Rocky and I felt so at peace there. No wonder Native Americans regard this area as sacred.
As travelers, Rocky and I have hiked through all types of terrain around the globe. We’ve observed a difference between travelers and tourists. Travelers have a keen sense of situational awareness, respect their destination and try to maintain a low profile. In nature, travelers are quiet, take only photos and leave only footprints. When photographing wild animals, travelers use a zoom lens to maintain a safe and respectful distance from them.
Tourists often lack situational awareness. Some are inclined to disregard local rules and customs. Many tend to be loud and draw attention to themselves—not always a good idea in the habitat of wild animals.
Bison weigh over a ton and are larger than most SUVs. Park Rangers and cautionary signs warned to avoid approaching bison because they may charge. Despite these warnings several tourists left their vehicles to snap selfies near bison. Now that I think about it, I guess another difference between a tourist and a traveler is that unlike a tourist, a traveler won’t risk being trampled to death for an Instagram post.
Along the lake’s shoreline we spotted an abandoned marina. Dilapidated boats still moored to a rotting wooden dock lay beached upon the cracked dry lake bed. This once thriving recreational center was now another feature of the Western—it was a ghost town.
The Great Salt Lake is drying up. According to the State of Utah, it once covered 1,700 square miles. Now it’s shrunk to barely 800 square miles. But this didn’t happen overnight. Native Americans believe humans must live “with” the land, not “on” the land. For millennia they lived in harmony with the Great Salt Lake balancing what they needed from nature as opposed to what they could take from it.
This delicate balance changed during the 19th century when multitudes of settlers from the expanding United States headed west to the Great Salt Lake. Unlike Native Americans, settlers considered themselves masters of the land they “subdued.” Exploiting seemingly unlimited sources of water settlers built a thriving community. Today the Great Salt Lake provides 8,000 jobs and contributes nearly $2 billion to Utah’s economy.
This fragile ecosystem is dying due to the relentless demand for water. For over a century the freshwater rivers and underground springs feeding the Great Salt Lake have been diverted for more than drinking water. A 2024 report by the Ballard Center in Utah indicated over 600 billion gallons of water each year is diverted from entering the Great Salt Lake. Between 70-82% is used to irrigate crops, Virginia style grass lawns, golf courses, and parks, none of which are part of the natural desert environment.
According to a report by NPR (National Public Radio) less water feeding the lake means the salt content rises which will result in the death of the lake’s brine shrimp and the birds which rely upon the lake. This environmental crisis not only threatens the economy and wildlife, but also the health of people who live nearby. Studies suggest the exposed lakebed generates dust storms and poor air quality which can cause respiratory and other serious health problems.
Utah has formed The Great Salt Lake Strike Team. Composed of researchers and scientists from Utah Universities, government agencies and the private sector, their objective is to formulate a plan to replenish the Great Salt Lake. University of Utah reported it will require a 33% per year increase in the amount of water feeding the lake. Even if that happens it will take 30 years to get the lake up to healthy levels.
“The Salt Lake Tribune” reported Utah leaders have not yet included Native Americans in the decision-making process. Tribal historian and former chairman of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation Darren Parry was quoted, “How do you solve this problem without engaging with people who’ve managed the resource for thousands of years?”
The Great Salt Lake needs more water and it needs it now. California and Nevada face similar water crises and have passed laws which as of 2027 will ban watering purely decorative grass along streets, medians, homeowners’ associations, apartment complexes, businesses and other properties.
Why should people outside of Utah care about saving the Great Salt Lake? If it dried up, would that affect your life? If you’re reading this magazine, you know the answer. A holistic approach to health means treating the entire body, not just physical symptoms in one area because all parts of the body are interconnected. In the broader sense, holistic means we are all parts of a much larger living organism which is planet Earth.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “The Nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” Lakota Chief Arvol Looking Horse said, “All life is sacred. We come into Life as sacred beings. When we abuse the sacredness of Life, we affect all Creation.” These wise observations underscore the importance of establishing a harmonious balance with nature. Too often humans focus on what we can take from nature instead of what we need from it. We are part of nature and the holistic health of the planet directly affects our health.
The Great Salt Lake presents a warning for our entire planet. It also offers hope that we can save the environment if we choose to. The question is, will we?
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