SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 3, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) -– The Utah Department of Natural Resources and the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner have received $50 million from the Bureau of Reclamation to implement a water delivery program designed to lease water and then deliver conserved water to the lake.
The source of the multi-million dollar grant comes by way of the Inflation Reduction Act, according to a UDNR press release.
“This program helps deliver conserved water to the lake and deplete less water within the Great Salt Lake Basin,” said Brian Steed, Great Salt Lake Commissioner. “We look forward to working closely with the Utah Department of Natural Resources to maximize these funds.”
Reclamation funding will also be used for ecosystem restoration projects and improving habitat for the 10-12 million birds that rely upon the Great Salt Lake.
The newly allocated federal funds will complement financial commitments the state of Utah’s made in recent years to protect the Great Salt Lake.
“We recognize the local commitment to conservation of the Great Salt Lake and make this investment in an effort to slow the long-term decline of the water level,” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said. “The impacts of drought to the area are evident and we must work with the state and local community to conserve this important water body to stop negative impacts to the local environment and wildlife habitat, the agriculture ecosystem services, recreation, and industry.”
This funding helps implement the Great Salt Lake Strategic Plan, focusing on four areas: 1) increasing flows to the Great Salt Lake; 2) investing in infrastructure to help water users decrease water depletion and facilitate the delivery of conserved water to the lake; 3) restoring wetlands around the lake; and 4) removing non-native, invasive species from around the lake and its tributaries.
“We recognize restoring the lake to a healthy range will take years, and we very much appreciate the funding and ongoing support from the Bureau of Reclamation to help us meet that goal,” Steed said. “It’s going to take everyone participating in conserving, dedicating and delivering water to the lake every year.”
The UDNR says Utah’s water supply has significantly improved thanks to two consecutive years of above-normal snowfall and conservation efforts across the state.
The Great Salt Lake rose 6.5 feet from its record low in 2022. The lake has since returned to 2021 levels.
