| Description |
The Great Salt Lake (GSL), as with other terminal saline lakes, has previously been considered unimportant due to the lack of potable fresh water and few economic benefits, leading to environmental degradation.1 Due to the lake's shallow bathymetry, the implications of a few centimeters change in surface elevation has a profound effect on surface area extent.2 Lake surface elevations below 1280m correspond to exposed shorelines and increased atmospheric dust particulates (PM2.5 and PM10) impacting the environmental health to the Wasatch Front.3,4 Surface elevations approaching 1283m correspond to large increases in lake surface area, causing damages to property, transportation sector, and the mineral extraction industries.5 GSL environmental service benefits are observed when surface elevations are approximately 1280m with reduced bare ground exposure, improved ecosystem productivity, and increased mineral production.5 Hence, with these associated benefits and impacts of surface area coverage, there is great interest and need to understand the influencing factors. As part of a broader systems study on GSL level, this poster presents initial results of benefits and impacts involving air quality, lake elevation, precipitation, and river discharge. Presented at the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2018. |
