In what comes as great news for local boaters, and what’s encouraging for residents, boats are back in the water at Great Salt Lake in Utah.
Boats were removed from the lake’s marina last August due to historically low water levels.
At its lowest, the lake’s water surface elevation measured 4,188.5 feet in November 2022, according to the U.S. Geologic Survey.
Since then, however, Utah logged a record-high snowpack with 26.1 inches of snow water equivalent, Fox 13 Salt Lake City reports. The state also logged the 11th wettest January to May on record since at least 1895, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.
As a result, Great Salt Lake Marina was the site of a “crane day” earlier this month. During the event, which was hosted by the Utah Division of State Parks, 50 boats were hoisted by crane and placed in the marina.
“It’s a great thing because a lot of people can remember when the marina was dried up last season and all the boats got pulled and the launch ramp was closed, which is not something that’s in any sense of normalcy for the Great Salt Lake Marina,” said Devan Chavez, public information officer with Utah State Parks, according to 2 KUTV, Salt Lake City. “There wasn’t really any idea of when this was going to be able to happen, so to have boats in the water again so soon is just phenomenal news for the sailing community.”
Why Water Levels Were Down
Based on 35 years of U.S. Geologic Survey data, the median water level of Great Salt Lake is 4,198.02 feet. The historically low level was 4,188.5 feet last year and the highest water level in the past 35 years was 4,204.10 feet in 1999.
The lake’s water level now is 4,193.9 feet.
Despite the rising level, experts still warn that Great Salt Lake has not recovered from its low level. Indeed, the Salt Lake City area is considered to be a complete drought area and 17 counties have “Disaster Designations,” according to the National Integrated Drought Information System.
“Excessive water use is destroying Great Salt Lake,” explains a briefing titled “Emergency Measures Needed To Rescue Great Salt Lake From Ongoing Collapse.” The brief was co-authored by Benjamin Abbott, professor of ecosystem ecology at Brigham Young University, and a host of other experts.
“At 19 feet below its average natural level since 1850, the lake is in uncharted territory. It has lost 73 percent of its water and 60 percent of its surface area,” the brief explains. “Our unsustainable water use is desiccating habitat, exposing toxic dust, and driving salinity to levels incompatible with the lake’s food webs. The lake’s drop has accelerated since 2020, with an average deficit of 1.2 million acre-feet per year. If this loss rate continues, the lake as we know it is on track to disappear in 5 years.”
A Happy Return
Great Salt Lake’s water level may still be low, but boaters are happy.
Jimmy Ludlow, a Salt Lake City resident, was at crane day when his boat, Edgewater, was lowered into the lake.
“It’s just so exciting to have this much water in the lake,” Ludlow said, according to Deseret News.
“In the fall, this was just mud through the marina here,” Ludlow continued. “To have this much water and know more is coming — it’s really cool.”
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