The Utah Department of National Resources announced on Sept. 18 a multi-organization effort designed to raise the Great Salt Lake’s water levels.
The project is a cooperative partnership between The National Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy under the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust. Other contributors include the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“Every drop counts, and now #GreatSaltLake is getting 10,000 additional acre-feet,” the Utah Department of National Resources announced in an Instagram post.
Water donated by these various parties is currently housed in upstream storage near Utah Lake, according to a press release from the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust. It will be released as part of the Jordan River Commission’s Get to the River Festival throughout the month of September and will flow down the Jordan River into Farmington and Gilbert Bays through the month of October.
The festival, held every September, is a multi-week program that hosts cleanup activities, film screenings, tours, fun runs and forums with local leaders for members of the community.
“This release to Great Salt Lake is made possible by four key factors: Water conservation efforts of residents and businesses in the Salt Lake Valley, important changes to water rights laws adopted by the legislature over the past few years, Jordan Valley’s effective use of its existing water storage and conveyance and infrastructure and a strong snowpack," Alan Packard, Jordan Valley Water's General Manager, said.
Despite healthy water flows and a significant snowpack in 2024, the Great Salt Lake is still below ideal levels for this time of year. The extra effort is needed to protect Utah’s people and habitats, Marcelle Shoop, executive director for the Watershed Trust, said.
“Delivering new water to the Great Salt Lake is essential to preserve the health of the lake and Utah communities, as well as protect the habitats for millions of birds that rely on it,” she said in a press release.
Low water levels are detrimental to local wildlife and significantly increase the risk of avian botulism, a disease borne from decaying soil matter that kills hundreds of thousands of birds in Utah each year according to the Division of Wildlife Services. Infected or dead birds pose a health risk to pets, such as foraging hunting dogs, and can cause infection in humans if improperly cooked and consumed. Stabilizing the lake’s water levels can help prevent the growth of botulism bacteria on the Great Salt Lake shoreline.
In addition to representatives from the state, Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, acted as spokesman for the Church and participated in the trust's press release.
“The Church continues to look for ways to care for the Great Salt Lake and the ecosystem that depends on it,” he said. “This latest donation is another step in that effort. We consider it a divine responsibility to care for the earth and be wise stewards of God’s creation.”
Leaders from the Church have long spoken about caring for the environment in previous sessions of general conference.
“I testify that great spiritual blessings are promised to those who love and care for the earth and their fellow men and women,” Bishop Gérald Caussé, Presiding Bishop of the Church, said during his October 2022 Semiannual General Conference address.
To participate in the Get to the River Festival or learn more about getting involved in protecting Utah’s natural habitat, visit https://jordanrivercommission.gov/get-to-the-river-festival/.