As he crafts a plan to help save it, newly-appointed Great Salt Lake Commissioner Brian Steed warned lawmakers of some 'tough choices' ahead.
SALT LAKE CITY — As he crafts a plan to help save it, newly-appointed Great Salt Lake Commissioner Brian Steed warned lawmakers of some"tough choices" ahead.
The Great Salt Lake dropped to its lowest level in recorded history last year as a result of upstream water diversion, drought and climate change. It rose 5 1/2 feet this year thanks to a record-breaking snowpack over the winter. The lake levels peaked in June and it has been declining again because of hotter temperatures and water diversions in the rivers that feed into it.
"If we stopped watering everything... all outdoor watering the whole basin, what would that ?" he said, sounding skeptical of some of the efforts."I would guess it would be less than what the lake has risen as a result of snowpack," he said.Steed cautioned his Nov. 30 plan will not be complete. In fact, he told lawmakers he anticipates it to evolve to changing circumstances surrounding the Great Salt Lake.
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