Great Salt Lake Collaborative
These stories are published through the the Great Salt Lake Collaborative, a solutions-based journalism initiative that partners news, education and media organizations to help inform people about the plight of the Great Salt Lake — and what can be done to make a difference before it is too late.
Featured Stories
Karah Brackin
How cows are helping the Great Salt Lake
At the Great Salt Lake, cows are eating away at an invasive species called phragmites, helping native grasses to come back.5 months ago
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News
Study shows Great Salt Lake dust impacts some communities disproportionately
The 800 square miles of exposed bed of the Great Salt Lake is disproportionately impacts people of color, according to new research by the University of Utah.6 months ago
Megan Banta, The Salt Lake Tribune
Wildlife are losing habitat at the Great Salt Lake. A nonprofit is working to build some back.
The Nature Conservancy nonprofit has built more than 100 acres of new wetlands in the last few years and has plans for other projects, including a 200-acre project near Syracuse.6 months ago
Ben Winslow, Fox13
Great Salt Lake has likely hit its high mark for the year and will start dropping
The Great Salt Lake has likely peaked, reaching its highest water levels of the year and will start dropping again.7 months ago
Megan Banta, The Salt Lake Tribune
Great Salt Lake’s drying lakebed isn’t ‘toxic’ or the biggest source of dust, experts say
Experts say The Great Salt Lake isn't the leading cause of dust in Utah. Desert playas where other lakes have already dried up — including the Great Salt Lake Desert to the west of the lake itself — along with gravel operations, construction and drought also cause dust storms.7 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
Why this explorer’s carving on a Great Salt Lake island rock is now on a historic register
A cross that an explorer etched in stone during a tour of the island nearly 181 years ago is now one of the newest additions to the National Register of Historic Places.7 months ago
Megan Banta, The Salt Lake Tribune
Here’s how much water is flowing to the Great Salt Lake as the snow melts
About 37% more water is flowing into the Great Salt Lake from its tributaries than in a typical year, according to federal data.7 months ago
Andrew Christiansen, University of Utah student
‘Cultural healing’: Q&A as restoration at Bear River Massacre Site begins
The restoration of Wuda Ogwa, the site near Preston, Idaho, along the banks of the Bear River, where the Bear River Massacre happened, is underway by the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.7 months ago
Mike Anderson and Mary Culbertson, KSL TV
Massive inland port project targets western Weber County, concerning residents, environmental groups
A portion of western Weber County has been selected as an area for a possible inland port. Nearby homeowners and environmentalist groups are not pleased.7 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
Great Salt Lake’s southern arm reaches ‘significant’ level as spring rise slows down
The Great Salt Lake's southern arm has reached a "significant" level before the lake's expected summer drop.7 months ago
Alex Cabrero
‘It is very exciting’: Pelicans return to Hat Island on the Great Salt Lake
There's something happening on a small island in the Great Salt Lake.. that hasn't happened since 1943.7 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
Pelicans return to nest at Great Salt Lake island for 1st time in 81 years
About 1,300 American white pelicans were found nesting on Utah's Great Salt Lake's Hat Island during a survey that state wildlife biologists conducted last week.8 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
As Great Salt Lake nears key level, Utah finds inspiration elsewhere to help lake’s recovery
The Great Salt Lake's southern arm reached 4,195 feet elevation at times over the stormy weekend as it nears reaching that figure daily for the first time in five years.8 months ago
Mike Anderson and Mary Culbertson, KSL TV
‘Sacrifices’ will need to be made from Bear River water supply to help Great Salt Lake
With the Bear River serving so many different purposes in the state of Utah, agricultural producers are trying to make sure their uses for the river aren't forgotten as lawmakers discuss the preservation of the Great Salt Lake.8 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
How much will the Great Salt Lake rise? State to offer a reward if you guess it correctly
Levels at the Great Salt Lake are higher now than at any point in the past five years, and those who are tasked with overseeing its level believe it will rise about another foot in the coming weeks.8 months ago
Mike Anderson and Michael Houck, KSL TV
Large amounts of water sent to Great Salt Lake ahead of spring runoff
While Utah did not have a record water year this year, water managers say there is so much water that some is being sent into the Great Salt Lake.8 months ago
Mike Anderson
Firefighters burn invasive phragmites in Ogden Bay
Crews started to burn 2,000 acres of invasive phragmites in the Ogden Bay Wildlife Management Area Friday.8 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
How a productive March changed Great Salt Lake’s spring outlook
The Great Salt Lake was already expected to receive a strong boost from this year's snowpack, but projected inflows are now expected to be a bit larger after a productive round of March storms.9 months ago
Carter Williams, KSL.com
Finding nematodes: New species in Great Salt Lake changes its known ecosystem
Utah researchers say finding a new species in the Great Salt Lake is "transformative," leading to new questions about the lake's ecosystem they hope to answer.9 months ago
Cary Schwanitz
February snow totals guarantee above-normal snowpack, Great Salt Lake level increases
The above normal snowpack in February will add water to the Great Salt Lake.10 months ago
Karah Brackin
Miller family to donate $2.2 million in water conservation efforts in Utah
This week, the Larry H. and Gail Miller Foundation announced a $2.2 million donation to water conservation efforts in Utah.10 months ago
Alex Cabrero
Utah Lake release sends 300 million gallons of water a day into the Great Salt Lake
The Utah Lake control gates in Saratoga Springs opened Thursday morning to release water into the Great Salt Lake.11 months ago
Saige Miller, KUER
Lakebed dust is a worry in Utah. For California’s Salton Sea, it’s a full-blown problem
Like the Great Salt Lake, there are toxins in the sediment of an exposed lake bed in California.11 months ago