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iUTAH researchers Sarah Null from Utah State University and Maura Hahnenberger from Salt Lake Community College contributed to a formal paper concerning issues surrounding the Great Salt Lake. A white paper detailing the Impacts of Water Development on Great Salt Lake and the Wasatch Front came out on February 24, 2016.

The lake has recently reached new historic lows. Water diversions continue to reduce the water supply to the lake, reducing its elevation by 11 feet and exposing much of the lake bed. "Because most of Utah’s population is located near Great Salt Lake, health impacts from exposed lake bed could potentially affect even more people," the paper warns.

Contributors to the paper hope that it will start dialogue about how important the lake is to Utah’s ecosystem, economy, and quality of life. Other collaborators on the paper include Wayne Wurtsbaugh and Peter Wilcock of USU, Craig Miller of the Utah Division of Water Resources, and Frank Howe of USU and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

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Great Salt Lake. Photo Credit Pixabay.