Short Wave What we lose if the Great Salt Lake dries up
Mar 21, 2023
Kirk Sigler, an NPR correspondent, takes listeners on a captivating audio journey to the Great Salt Lake, an ecological treasure hanging by a thread. He discusses the lake’s crucial role for migratory birds and local health, warning that climate change and water diversion could lead to its disappearance within five years. The conversation highlights the dire consequences of toxic dust storms and emphasizes urgent environmental activism. Kirk illustrates the lake’s beauty and complexity, reminding us why preserving this unique ecosystem is essential for our future.
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Field Trip to the Great Salt Lake
- Kirk Sigler and Carly Beadle visited the Great Salt Lake, observing the receding waterline and pungent smell.
- Beadle, a biologist, struggles to find brine fly larvae, a crucial part of the lake's ecosystem.
The Dying Lake
- The Great Salt Lake is drying up due to water diversions, climate change, and population growth.
- The increasing salinity threatens the ecosystem, particularly brine flies at the bottom of the food chain.
Formation of the Great Salt Lake
- The Great Salt Lake is vast and shallow, situated in a basin with no outlet to the sea.
- Snowmelt from the Wasatch Mountains feeds the lake, which evaporates in summer, leaving behind salt and minerals.
