# An intersting article about the Great Salt Lake



## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Here is an article that talks about the future of the Great Salt Lake as we continue to divert water for population increases and development. Obviously, the health of the Great Salt Lake *is of upmost importance to waterfowlers* --And due to the fact that without a healthy marsh, we will have no birds to hunt.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/utah-great-salt-lake-shrinking-environmental-implications-harmful-dust-storms/56189290

R


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

rjefre said:


> Here is an article that talks about the future of the Great Salt Lake as we continue to divert water for population increases and development. Obviously, the health of the Great Salt Lake *is of upmost importance to waterfowlers* --And due to the fact that without a healthy marsh, we will have no birds to hunt.
> 
> http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/utah-great-salt-lake-shrinking-environmental-implications-harmful-dust-storms/56189290
> 
> R


It seems like there should have been a biologist that would have been involved in the decision making when it came to redirecting water. Although, money seems to talk.


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Nowadays you would expect scientific input (but our elected officials choose to ignore the advice most of the time). The Mormon pioneers started diverting streams immediately upon settling the Salt Lake Valley because it was the best and fastest way to irrigate farmland and grow livestock...and to people in the 1800's the resources seemed endless. Now we know better, but they still want to do it because it makes big developers a lot of money. For our forefathers, it was needed to sustain life, but today it is needed in order to sustain a flow of money into legislator's re-election funds. Without a few duck/goose hunters speaking up, they will continue to show no concern for our GSL public wetlands, the lake will continue to shrink, and our waterfowling will slowly die. 
R


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## JerryH (Jun 17, 2014)

The future is grim. With one party running the state there are no checks & balances. The elected officials in this state do not care about the environment. Just the money. They all know they have a secure elected seat for as long as they want it. Come November all the blind sheep reelect them. 

R We have twenty years of moderate to average (at best) hunting left. That puts us a mid seventies, by then we will be tired. Or have sucked a valve? 

Its sad to think back of what we had. Should of worked less and hunted more. Enjoy what time there is left out on the lake because the glory days are gone.


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

All projections indicate continued population growth, ranging from one million to two-and-a-half million new Utahns by 2050. Utah, Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties are expected to take the brunt of that growth.

That could nearly double our current state population of 300 million. Since we are already embroiled in some fairly serious water wars, we can imagine what's yet to come.

But I don't believe it's hopeless. I believe that enough citizens can band together to affect the decisions being made such that growth can be restricted as needs be in order to preserve the quality of life that we enjoy. Because after all, isn't that why people want to live here?

Our different organizations need to collaborate in order to have an influence, here. And I'll take it a step further. We need to recognize shared interests with non-consumptive organizations as well and include them in our collaborations. If our focus is killing ducks, we have some solid arguments. But those arguments cannot trump homes for new residents. If our focus is preserving habitat, preserving Utah's culture and lifestyle, I believe we have a chance for success.


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## hemionus (Aug 23, 2009)

The GSL goes far beyond hunting waterfowl. It's designated as an area of GLOBAL importance for birds and many other wildlife species. For example 50% of the North American Snowy plover and 80% of Black-necked stilts migrating population use the GSL ecosystem. It's hard to understand when it's been in our backyard but the GSL ecosystem is globally important and a big deal.


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## king eider (Aug 20, 2009)

Good article.

I've come to believe a few things about us as a whole population that live on the east side of the lake. Most don't really know that it's out there. Their knowledge of the lake and its importance is non existent. Most believe it's an empty lake that offers no good for anything. Most think of any drop of water that works it way out there is "lost" forever only to have the sun reclaim it through evaporation. All municipalities and the state see the lake as useless. I fear that the state will rob the lake of water past the point of no return. this [email protected] state needs to wake up and start looking at things differently. It's time to charge people for real water use. You want a green lawn, then pay up. Cities need to restructure and encourage a desert landscape in every way. The agricultural farmers need incentives to get away from flood irragation. But I'm afraid things will not change til the lake is about 1/8 of its original size. Then it will be to late...


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

hemionus said:


> The GSL goes far beyond hunting waterfowl. It's designated as an area of GLOBAL importance for birds and many other wildlife species. For example 50% of the North American Snowy plover and 80% of Black-necked stilts migrating population use the GSL ecosystem. It's hard to understand when it's been in our backyard but the GSL ecosystem is globally important and a big deal.


http://www.ducks.org/utah/utah-projects/waterfowl-facts-the-great-salt-lake


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## rjefre (Sep 8, 2007)

Nice article from Ducks Unlimited about the GSL...I wish they would dip their toes into the putrid waters of our legislative quagmire. That is where the damage begins, and it is tough to stop a train after it is in motion. The only way to stop the death spiral of our duck marshes is to get involved with our local legislators and ask them to protect our public wetlands...*or* vote for someone *other *than the person that is already in office. 
Change is needed if we want to keep duck hunting. 
Change is needed if we want to save a beautiful lake that is of hemispherical importance to many species of birds. 
Change is needed if we want a place for youngsters to be able to hunt. 
Change is needed if we want to continue to enjoy the lifestyle we have today. 
Only WE can do it, and it won't happen by keeping the same knuckleheads in the Utah Legislature. *They are the ones that decide to destroy our marshes, and WE are the ones that vote for them.*
R


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## hemionus (Aug 23, 2009)

JuniorPre 360 said:


> http://www.ducks.org/utah/utah-projects/waterfowl-facts-the-great-salt-lake


Oh don't get me wrong. I fully understand the importance to waterfowl. I'm just saying it goes far beyond that and most people don't realize the importance to some of these other species. Pretty neat place we have in our backyards.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

hemionus said:


> Oh don't get me wrong. I fully understand the importance to waterfowl. I'm just saying it goes far beyond that and most people don't realize the importance to some of these other species. Pretty neat place we have in our backyards.


Right, I just wanted to add to what you were saying by giving some huge numbers of birds that frequent the GSL.


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