Beached boats, pink water as drought depletes Utah's Great Salt Lake

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Beached boats, pink water as drought depletes Utah's Great Salt Lake
CBS/AP September 22, 2016, 9:50 PM
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/beached-boats-pink-water-as-drought-saps-great-salt-lake/

SALT LAKE CITY -- On the southern shore of Utah’s Great Salt Lake, more than 100 boats are sitting high and dry in a parking lot, unable to sail the shallow, drought-stricken sea.

North of the nearly empty marina, salt-loving bacteria thriving in the low water has turned the liquid pink.

The massive lake, key to the state’s economy and identity, is skirting record low levels after years of below-average precipitation and record heat. A few dozen lawmakers are taking a road trip Thursday and Friday to see the problems firsthand and learn what they can do to help -- besides praying for more rain and snow this winter.

State officials said in July, that the lake is at its lowest level since the 1960s, before the causeway was in place, CBS affiliate KUTV reported....
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/beached-boats-pink-water-as-drought-saps-great-salt-lake/

[Free Vulcan]

Which I'm sure is all due to global warming except....what was going on in the 60's to make the lake so low?

[bigheadfred]

Which I'm sure is all due to global warming except....what was going on in the 60's to make the lake so low?

@Idaho_Cowboy

Pink water in The Great Salt Lake isn't an unusual occurrence. There has never been a period of no climate change in the history of this planet.

[Cripplecreek]

Its a big lake in a desert.

There were others that were much bigger like Death Valley.

[mountaineer]

Drought,  flood,  it's all just weather. Thus has it ever been.

[bigheadfred]

Its a big lake in a desert.

There were others that were much bigger like Death Valley.

The Great Salt Lake is all that remains of lake Bonneville. Bonneville broke through and all drained through a gap like the Black Sea. So I've been told.

[montanajoe]

Which I'm sure is all due to global warming except....what was going on in the 60's to make the lake so low?

What they left out is that in the early 80's they built a pumping station to pump water into the west desert after years of to much rain and the lake was threating west Salt Lake with flooding. Quite likely that the levels would be higher today had the pumping not occurred.

People's tendency to make short term decisions like this do not necessarily pan out on a geologic or climatic time scale.

I remember the lake in the 50's it was much smaller and much saltier than it is today...

[bigheadfred]

Its a big lake in a desert.

There were others that were much bigger like Death Valley.

Huh. Your graphic didn't show when I made my comment.

[Cripplecreek]

Huh. Your graphic didn't show when I made my comment.

That's because I added it later or you're insane. Your call.

[bigheadfred]

That's because I added it later or you're insane. Your call.

This one time I regret reaching down my throat and strangling Obiwan.

[bigheadfred]

That's because I added it later or you're insane. Your call.

That is kind of neat. Change your post I mean.  Not that it would be any saving grace for me. Probably be like adding a couple of nails.

[Cripplecreek]

That is kind of neat. Change your post I mean.  Not that it would be any saving grace for me. Probably be like adding a couple of nails.

I like that modify post option.

After I posted I figured I could find a map of some of the ancient lakes. Dry lakebeds all over the west.

[bigheadfred]

I like that modify post option.

After I posted I figured I could find a map of some of the ancient lakes. Dry lakebeds all over the west.

I was on my wife's laptop then switched to the big screen desktop in my bedroom. I thought hers might not be displaying graphics properly. You saved me CC from trying to fix something that didn't need fixin'. That can get pretty frustrating.

My uncle has a big interest in local history. He has found a couple of caves around the 'high' water marks from Lake Bonneville in Nevada. Fire burnt ceilings. Enough to think that human inhabitants were there when the lake was. That would be the only reason for an extended occupancy in that desolate location. That puts the date for people there quite a while ago.

[Cripplecreek]

I was on my wife's laptop then switched to the big screen desktop in my bedroom. I thought hers might not be displaying graphics properly. You saved me CC from trying to fix something that didn't need fixin'. That can get pretty frustrating.

My uncle has a big interest in local history. He has found a couple of caves around the 'high' water marks from Lake Bonneville in Nevada. Fire burnt ceilings. Enough to think that human inhabitants were there when the lake was. That would be the only reason for an extended occupancy in that desolate location. That puts the date for people there quite a while ago.

Old fish camps.

Better yet, Fish Camp women.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhKjUGB_BQ8

[bigheadfred]

Old fish camps.

Better yet, Fish Camp women.


www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhKjUGB_BQ8

I wondered what happened to Huey Lewis.

[Smokin Joe]

This one time I regret reaching down my throat and strangling Obiwan.

Get over it, you will.

[bigheadfred]

Get over it, you will.

Pretty sure everyone knows I'm insane. So I was headed for door number 1. I know what Obiwan would have said. Don't let it drive you crazy. That would be insane.

[Smokin Joe]

Pretty sure everyone knows I'm insane. So I was headed for door number 1. I know what Obiwan would have said. Don't let it drive you crazy. That would be insane.

Sorry, Fred, I was channeling Yoda...