A few times a week, I sling my camera around my neck, pull on my waterproof boots and walk the shores of Utah Lake. There I’ve met the breathtaking beauty and delightfully diverse ecosystem of our largest freshwater lake.
Like many life-long residents, I grew up hearing the rumors. “Utah Lake is so gross. It’s toxic and the carp have ruined it. The water used to be crystal clear all the time.” Yes, Utah Lake was badly damaged in the past, but these things are no longer true.
Hundreds of projects have improved conditions and aid the ecosystem in its natural state, which is a shallow lake with high turbidity. The June Sucker Recovery Implementation, under the Utah Division of Wildlife, is responsible for the creation of the Hobble Creek Delta and soon-to-be-finished Provo River Delta. Teams have removed 75% of the carp population, reduced the invasive phragmites plants by 70% and limited human-caused inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus. These 280 acres of protected wetlands and extensive efforts have not only saved June sucker fish from extinction, but also helped improve conditions for the over 300 species of wildlife that call the lake home.
Yet, one development company is taking advantage of the old lies.
Lake Restoration Solutions (LRS) wants to dredge one billion cubic yards of sediment from the lakebed to build 34 islands, mostly for houses and recreation. They expertly manipulate the public’s continued misconceptions in their marketing, claiming this is the best way to save a still-suffering Utah Lake. The company also has a $3 million lawsuit against BYU ecologist Ben Abbott, who studies Utah Lake and is a loud voice against their proposal.
We are already successfully saving Utah Lake. But if LRS is allowed to build islands the damage will be devastating and irreparable.
Teri Lyn Harman, Saratoga Springs
