Salt Lake City may lose its Lake. There are many stories about massive lakes drying up and disappearing, but they are frequently in remote regions or impoverished areas. Salt Lake, the lake that gives Salt Lake City its name, is drying up. Most lakes have inlets and outlets, but Salt Lake doesn’t have an outlet – except for the atmosphere. The lake is salty because there isn’t any exit. Water flows in, evaporates, and leaves minerals behind. Now, development and agriculture are reducing the inflow as well. The lake isn’t just something to look at. Businesses depend on it. People enjoy playing on it. Without it, the local climate is likely to change, and particulate pollution will increase. The same things may be true for a lake in Bolivia or Mongolia, but this one may happen within sight of one of America’s largest cities. Almost 50% of the area is already exposed.
(Click on the graph for the link.)
Pretending Not To Panic 