As a megadrought continues across the United States southwest, Utahs Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest documented water level.
Utahs Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest documented water level last month as a megadrought continues throughout the United States southwest. This has actually required the fast-growing city to curb its water use. From space, satellite images reveal how water levels have actually dramatically fallen from 1985 to 2022– exposing large expanses of lakebed.
According to information from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the Great Salt Lakes surface water elevation was up to the lowest level considering that records started in the mid-1800s, to an average of 1277 m (4,190 feet) above water level. As an outcome of this drop in water level, the lake has actually lost nearly half of its surface area from the historical average, exposing around 2000 sq km (770 square miles) of lakebed– a location the very same size as Tenerife.
Now the lake barely includes more than one-fourth of the volume of water that it did at its peak in 1987, according to the USGS. Two of the main reasons behind the lakes decline are water use and the environment change-fueled drought.
Utahs Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest taped water level last month as a megadrought continues across the US southwest. According to authorities, the water evaporation and deficiency surpass the amount of water going into the lake. The lakes water levels are anticipated to more decline until fall or early winter season, when incoming water equals or goes beyond the evaporative losses.
The exposed lake bed of the Great Salt Lake could impact public health in the long term. Increased water demand due to the large number of occupants in the surrounding area is one of the reasons of the Great Salt Lakes desertification.
The lake goes through seasonal cycles of water loss and replenishment after rain and snow melt fills it back up. According to authorities, the water evaporation and depletion go beyond the quantity of water getting in the lake. The lakes water levels are anticipated to additional decrease till autumn or early winter season, when inbound water equates to or exceeds the evaporative losses.
The satellite images below reveal how water levels have fallen from 1985 (top) to 2022 (bottom), exposing large expanses of the lakebed.
Great Salt Lake 1985. Credit: USGS/contains customized Copernicus Sentinel data (2022 ), processed by ESA
Terrific Salt Lake 2022. Credit: USGS/contains customized Copernicus Sentinel information (2022 ), processed by ESA
The decreasing waters of the Great Salt Lake presents ravaging consequences for the economy, ecology, and people of northern Utah. The lake creates snowpack, serves as a sanctuary for numerous migratory birds and other wildlife, and produces millions in financial advancement through mineral extraction and tourist.
The Great Salt Lake is the biggest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere, and one of the most saline inland bodies of water in the world. As the lake diminishes, it ends up being saltier which endangers flies and brine shrimp which millions of birds rely on for food.
Declining water levels likewise affects the local air quality. As the bottom of the lake dries up and more lakebed is exposed, the dry soil results in a boost of dust in the air. The dust is laced with copper, arsenic, and other hazardous heavy metals that have actually built up in the lake, much of it being residue from mining activity in the area.
These can, in time, pose a public health risk when dust storms carry them into populated areas, triggering damage when inhaled and exacerbating other respiratory illnesses.
The image below shows the average aerosol concentrations near the open locations of the lake bed produced using data from the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite from June 1 to July 15 2022.
This image shows the average aerosol concentrations near the open-areas of the lake bed produced using Copernicus Sentinel-5P information from 1 June to 15 July 2022. The exposed lake bed of the Great Salt Lake might affect public health in the long term. As the bottom of the lake dries up and more lakebed is exposed, the dry soil causes an increase of dust in the air. The dust is laced with copper, arsenic and other dangerous heavy metals that have actually built up in the lake, much of it being residue from mining activity in the area. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2022 ), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Another factor adding to the lakes dropping water levels is the reduction in manner ins which the lake regains water. Water is re-directed from the streams that feed the lake each year to agriculture and nearby houses, suggesting the lake can not quickly replace the water it loses via evaporation.
Increased water need due to the growing number population of the city Salt Lake City is another factor behind the Great Salt Lakes desertification. Utah is the fastest-growing state in the United States and is predicted to increase practically 50% by 2060.
The image listed below makes use of data from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban growth of Salt Lake City happening in between 1985 to 2019.
The population of Salt Lake City has actually grown by around 20% since the 1980s. Increased water demand due to the large number of residents in the surrounding area is among the reasons of the Great Salt Lakes desertification. This image uses information from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban expansion taking place in between 1985 to 2019. The World Settlement Footprint is the worlds most extensive dataset on human settlement developed to enhance the understanding of present patterns in international urbanization. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint job by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in partnership with the Google Earth Engine group. Credit: ESA (Contains data from the DLR World Settlement Footprint).
The World Settlement Footprint is the worlds most thorough dataset on human settlement produced to improve the understanding of current patterns in worldwide urbanization. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint project by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the Google Earth Engine team.