Utah’s Great Salt Lake is disappearing

Another factor contributing to the lake’s dropping water levels is the reduction in ways that the lake regains water. Water is re-directed from the streams that feed the lake each year to agriculture and nearby residential areas, meaning the lake cannot easily replace the water it loses via evaporation.

Increased water demand due to the growing number population of the metropolitan Salt Lake City is another reason behind the Great Salt Lake’s desertification. Utah is the fastest-growing state in the US and is projected to increase almost 50% by 2060.

The image below utilises data from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban expansion of Salt Lake City occurring between 1985 to 2019.

The World Settlement Footprint is the world’s most comprehensive dataset on human settlement created to improve the understanding of current trends in global urbanisation. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint project by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the Google Earth Engine team.

Another factor contributing to the lake’s dropping water levels is the reduction in ways that the lake regains water. Water is re-directed from the streams that feed the lake each year to agriculture and nearby residential areas, meaning the lake cannot easily replace the water it loses via evaporation.

Increased water demand due to the growing number population of the metropolitan Salt Lake City is another reason behind the Great Salt Lake’s desertification. Utah is the fastest-growing state in the US and is projected to increase almost 50% by 2060.

The image below utilises data from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban expansion of Salt Lake City occurring between 1985 to 2019.

The World Settlement Footprint is the world’s most comprehensive dataset on human settlement created to improve the understanding of current trends in global urbanisation. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint project by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the Google Earth Engine team.

Another factor contributing to the lake’s dropping water levels is the reduction in ways that the lake regains water. Water is re-directed from the streams that feed the lake each year to agriculture and nearby residential areas, meaning the lake cannot easily replace the water it loses via evaporation.

Increased water demand due to the growing number population of the metropolitan Salt Lake City is another reason behind the Great Salt Lake’s desertification. Utah is the fastest-growing state in the US and is projected to increase almost 50% by 2060.

The image below utilises data from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban expansion of Salt Lake City occurring between 1985 to 2019.

The World Settlement Footprint is the world’s most comprehensive dataset on human settlement created to improve the understanding of current trends in global urbanisation. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint project by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the Google Earth Engine team.

Another factor contributing to the lake’s dropping water levels is the reduction in ways that the lake regains water. Water is re-directed from the streams that feed the lake each year to agriculture and nearby residential areas, meaning the lake cannot easily replace the water it loses via evaporation.

Increased water demand due to the growing number population of the metropolitan Salt Lake City is another reason behind the Great Salt Lake’s desertification. Utah is the fastest-growing state in the US and is projected to increase almost 50% by 2060.

The image below utilises data from the World Settlement Footprint to highlight the urban expansion of Salt Lake City occurring between 1985 to 2019.

The World Settlement Footprint is the world’s most comprehensive dataset on human settlement created to improve the understanding of current trends in global urbanisation. The World Settlement Footprint is a joint project by ESA, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), in collaboration with the Google Earth Engine team.