A VISIT TO THE GREAT SALT LAKE IN UTAH

                                          

            ( The Chimney of the Copper Mine)

( Salt from the Lake )

                            ( With our Tour Guide ) 

 

A VISIT TO THE GREAT SALT LAKE IN UTAH

In August 2025, we visited Salt Lake City in Utah State . We also went to  the Great Salt Lake that is about 25  miles away from the City. One is amazed to see this large lake nestled in a landscape that looks barren and similar to Ladakh , the high altitude  cold desert in Northern India. 

The lake’s basin is defined by the foothills of the Wasatch mountains range  to the north, east, and south and by the Great Salt Lake Desert, a remnant of the bed of Lake Bonneville, to the west. The part of this desert known as the Bonneville Salt Flats has become an automobile raceway, the site of many trials for world land-speed records. The lake’s varying shoreline consists of beaches, marshes, and mudflats.

The Great Salt Lake is North America's largest terminal  lake or a  closed-basin lake, where water only leaves through evaporation, leading to a high concentration of dissolved salts and minerals. The lake water is highly saline to taste. We tasted it during our boat ride. On account  of this high salinity ( higher than ocean water )  , people float over its  surface instead of drowning .  Due to the high salinity, there is no aquatic life in the lake except brine shrimps. 

The Great Salt Lake is so large that it creates its own weather patterns. Areas to the east and southeast of the lake often get heavy snow due to the lake effect. We were told that the Lake effect happens when cold air meets warmer water, causing heavy snow.Storms from the northwest become colder and drier as they move over the mountains. The warm lake water causes the air to become moist, forming clouds that bring snow.The storms move faster over water but slow down on land, creating long periods of heavy snowfall.Lake effect snow occurs from September to May and is known for producing some of the heaviest snowfalls in the world.

The Great Salt Lake has been known to the indigenous peoples of the region, including the Shoshone and Ute tribes, for thousands of years. These Native American groups were familiar with the lake's unique characteristics and utilised its resources. We were told that the native tribes were extracting Salt from the Lake since ancient times .They used the salt for various purposes, including: preserving meat, particularly game meats, and fish. Salt played a role in various Native American ceremonies and rituals. Presently , Salt extraction  from the Lake  has not come to halt.   Morton Salt and some  other companies are harvesting salt from the lake for commercial use.

( Morton Salt in American Kitchen)

The Lake can cover anywhere from 1,000 to 3,000 square miles, depending on rainfall and inflow. The average depth of the lake  is only about 16 feet, with the deepest point around 33 feet.

 Apart from brine shrimps, we saw swarming brine flies like mosquitoes ; too many at the boat landing Ghat.   The Boat landing Ghat had something like ammonia smell . We were  told  that the smell arises from the Lake water. Our boat guide said this:-

" Now you guys listen what I say . This Lake is "America’s Dead Sea"  for  its very  high salinity. Many elders remember how salt was extracted here. That chimney you see over there ,below that mountain , it belongs  to the copper mine.  This mine holds the distinction of being the world’s largest open-pit copper mine and the deepest human-made excavation on Earth. Operated by Kennecott Utah Copper, a division of Rio Tinto Group, the mine has been active since 1906 and continues to be a major copper producer globally . It’s not just copper: the mine also produces significant quantities of molybdenum, gold, and silver. And you guys must be knowing stories of Gold Rush in Utah and other states in the US.

 The wetlands surrounding the Lake  are a big refuge for migratory birds who thrive on brine shrimps. Brine shrimp feed on algae  which thrive in salty water.

The shrimp are then eaten by birds, which need the fat and protein to fuel their long-distance migrations.The lake supports a significant industry, with brine shrimp harvesting being a major contributor, and provides eight thousand jobs and two billion dollars in industry.Take my card and do come again. I am Jeff. Any body wants a photo or group picture , I offer my services. Take care as you get down. See you soon. " 

At the Tourists Information Centre  near the Lake,  we also gathered some  additional   information about the Lake. The Great Salt Lake is seven times saltier than the average seawater, making it a challenging environment for most living organisms to survive. The Lake water also has a  high concentration of methylmercury, a toxic substance that accumulates in its food chain, from brine shrimp to birds. One can find fossilised remains of ancient creatures, including prehistoric horses, along the lake's shorelines. The lake is abundant in minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium, making it a valuable source for extraction and commercial use. The construction of a railway causeway in 1959 disrupted the natural mixing of water, affecting the lake's salinity levels and biodiversity.The Salt Lake, Garfield & Western Railway (SLGW)  runs along the shores of the lake and provides freight services to the industries in Salt Lake City. The railway line is approximately 16 miles long.

So long so much .

( Avtar Mota )

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