The Great Salt Lake in Utah is the largest natural lake in the US west of the Mississippi River, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, and the fourth largest terminal lake in the world. It has no outlet to the ocean and is fed by four major rivers, causing its salt content to constantly increase. The lake was once part of a larger freshwater lake known as Lake Bonneville during the last Ice Age. The lake’s surface area varies widely from year to year, and its wetlands provide a habitat for migratory birds. The lake is too salty to support fish and most marine organisms, but brine shrimp and brine flies thrive in its waters. The lake is a source of salt and minerals and a popular tourist destination.
The Great Salt Lake is a large hypersaline lake in northern Utah. It is the largest natural lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, and the fourth largest terminal lake in the world. Being a terminal lake, it is fed by four major rivers but has no outlet to the ocean. Rivers carry salt and other minerals to the lake, so the lake’s salt content is constantly increasing. As of 2011, the lake’s average salt concentration was about 12%, nearly four times as salty as the ocean, although the lake’s salinity can vary considerably, depending on fluctuations in lake volume.
During the last Ice Age, the current site of the Great Salt Lake was at the bottom of a much larger freshwater lake known as Lake Bonneville. Lake Bonneville had a surface area of about 20,000 square miles (about 51,800 square kilometers), compared to the Great Salt Lake’s average surface area of 1,700 square miles (4,403 square kilometers). The climate in the Lake Bonneville area was much cooler and wetter than present-day Utah, which contributed to the volume of water in the lake. As the glaciers retreated to the Arctic Circle, Lake Bonneville slowly evaporated, concentrating the salt and mineral content in the water to its modern level.
The Great Salt Lake is located in a relatively flat basin, so the surface area of the lake varies widely from year to year, depending on rainfall and evaporation rates. Some stretches of coastline could shift as much as 15 km (24.1 miles) over the course of a few years. As a result, the lake is surrounded by large wetlands, which discourages development of the area and provides a habitat for many migratory birds. The lake’s wetlands are such an important resource for birds that much of the area surrounding the lake is protected nature reserves.
The salt content of the Great Salt Lake is too great to support fish and most other marine organisms, leading to the lake’s nickname of “America’s Dead Sea.” Despite the extreme environment, brine shrimp and brine flies thrive in salt water. Brine shrimp are an important economic resource and are harvested together with their eggs to produce fish food. Brine flies are an essential food source for birds. Other lake dwellers are limited to brine-tolerant algae and microscopic zooplankton.
The Great Salt Lake is located near Salt Lake City and provides the city with both a healthy tourism industry and a source of salt and other minerals. The salt companies extract nearly as much salt from the lake each year as the rivers deposit. Tourists are attracted to the lake by its unique scenery, famous floating waters and the opportunity for a beach vacation in the middle of the desert.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
