Chapter Two: Water

Introduction

Brian Steed

The last two water years have been historic. After enduring some of the most severe droughts in recent history, two consecutive years of above-average precipitation have provided welcome relief to our strained water systems. Reservoirs have been the biggest winners, as water managers have been able to refill our storage systems levels that had dropped frighteningly low. Waterbodies like Bear Lake and Utah Lake, both natural lakes managed as storage reservoirs, have similarly experienced amazing recoveries, with Utah Lake spilling hundreds of thousands of acre feet of water down to the Great Salt Lake.

The South Arm of the Great Salt Lake reached a seven-year high of 4,195.1 feet above sea level this year—a significant improvement from the historical low of 4,188.5 feet in 2022. Unlike the previous year, the North Arm of the lake also saw a similar rise, peaking at over 4,192 feet above sea level and nearly equalizing with the level of the South Arm by the end of the water year. Equally important, salinity levels in the South Arm dropped from an unhealthy 180 grams per liter to a much healthier 120 grams per liter. This reduction in salinity has greatly benefited the lake’s brine shrimp and brine fly populations, which have returned  in abundance.

All this good news, however, came with a bit of a warning this year. The summer and fall of 2024 were unusually hot and dry, leading to increased water usage and evaporation on the Great Salt Lake. This contrast serves as a reminder of the importance of staying committed to conservation efforts. Reducing water use is essential—not only to support future growth but to preserve our vital natural systems.

Figure 2.I.1 Water levels for Utah’s major lakes (2022-2024)

Source: Utah Division of Water Resources, Utah Lake Water Levels, Lake Powell Water Database, and Great Salt Lake Elevation

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