- Utah launches new studies on Great Salt Lake dust risks.
- Exposed lakebed now covers over 800 square miles.
- Dust storms affect air quality and accelerate snowmelt.
- Dust can reach nearby cities in under an hour.
- Expanded monitoring and mitigation strategies underway.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 — As the Great Salt Lake continues to shrink, Utah authorities are intensifying efforts to tackle the growing dust problem that poses environmental and health risks to millions of residents in the region.
The Utah Division of Water Resources
is spearheading a comprehensive initiative called the Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan, designed to ensure sustainable water use and address the impacts of a rapidly shrinking lake. Since lake levels dropped significantly—reaching a historic low of 4188.5 feet in November 2022—over 800 square miles of lakebed have been exposed, increasing dust storms that regularly affect air quality.
“When the surface dries and strong winds pick up, dust plumes frequently rise from the exposed lakebed and drift into nearby communities,” according to Utah’s water resource officials. With more than 2.66 million residents downwind, these dust plumes significantly increase airborne particulate matter (PM10), leading to potential respiratory issues and other health concerns.
Recent studies highlight the greatest dust risk occurs when strong winds exceeding 25 mph lift particles into the air, quickly transporting them to major populated areas. Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Tooele, and Box Elder counties may see dust within one hour, while Cache and Utah counties may experience fallout within two hours.
Expanded Research and New Discoveries.
Ongoing research led by the University of Utah and state agencies has identified new dust hotspots as the Great Salt Lake’s elevation dropped dramatically to 4188.5 feet in late 2022. Researchers have updated models to reflect these changes, particularly targeting elevations above 4194.5 feet, using advanced bathymetric and sediment data.
Dust emissions primarily occur during powerful windstorms associated with cold fronts. These dust storms often last 12-18 hours, occasionally carrying finer particles (PM2.5) thousands of miles away before rainfall removes them from the atmosphere.
“If lake levels remain low, dust emissions will likely become more frequent and severe,” state officials warned.
Utah has already outlined several priorities to combat these issues, including improved dust monitoring, in-depth research into the fragile lakebed surface crust, and the exploration of effective mitigation measures. The state aims to expand its monitoring network, refine remote sensing technologies, and create actionable plans for dust control measures within the next year.
The Division of Water Resources emphasized their commitment to addressing these critical issues, stating, “As we move forward with refining dust exposure models and investigating cost-effective mitigation strategies, we are committed to helping reduce the health and environmental impacts of dust.”
Additional state agencies, such as the Division of Air Quality and the Division of Forestry, Fire, and State Lands, are collaborating closely, focusing on enhancing air quality monitoring and researching contaminant levels associated with the dust.
Utah’s multi-agency approach underscores the urgent need to address the growing risks posed by the exposed lakebed, aiming to safeguard both public health and the regional ecosystem from long-term dust pollution impacts.
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Image: The Great Salt Lake, licensed from Envato
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