Why the Great Salt Lake isn't as great as it once was

Satellite images of the Great Salt Lake, focusing on Spiral Jetty on the lake’s northern arm, in 2011 and 2021, respectively — showing the distance the water has receded in a decade. (Photos courtesy of Planet.)

The Great Salt Lake isn’t what it used to be.

Since 1847, the year the Mormon pioneers first arrived in the valley, the lake’s water level has dropped 11 feet, and the lake bed is a third smaller than it was.

On July 24 — Pioneer Day — the U.S. Geological Survey declared that the Great Salt Lake hit its lowest level in recorded history, 4,191.3 feet above sea level, breaking the record set in 1963.

Looking at the lake from space — thanks to the geospatial data company Planet for helping The Salt Lake Tribune with that — one can see how much less of the lake there is these days.

The drought is part of the equation. So was a lower-than-normal snowpack over the winter. And the number of diversions of water heading to the lake through the Jordan, Weber and Bear rivers — to agricultural and municipal uses.

My story about the Great Salt Lake can be found here, at sltrib.com. It’s only available to subscribers — but why wouldn’t you want to subscribe and get great journalism (not just mine, but that from my colleagues)?