great salt lake located northern state utah largest salt water lake eighth largest terminal lake world average year lake covers area square miles km2 lake size substantially instance reached lowest recorded level square miles surface area historic high square miles km2 terms surface area largest lake united_states region lake largest remnant prehistoric lake covered western utah major tributaries lake jordan bear rivers deposit million tons minerals lake year outlet high far makes swimming similar floating mineral content steadily increasing shallow warm waters cause frequent heavy lake effect late fall spring called america dead sea lake provides habitat millions native birds shrimp including largest staging population wilson world origin great salt lake remnant larger prehistoric lake called greatest extent spanned square miles km2 nearly large present day lake michigan roughly times area great salt lake today reached deepest point covered present day utah small portions idaho nevada ice ages lake existed years ago large portion lake released idaho warming climate remaining lake began dry leaving great salt lake utah lake lake history lake known local native americans entered written history records learned existence given time shown map expedition observed apparently independently shortly saw walked record discoveries oral reports findings way records errors shores utah lake named larger lakes appeared map followed lead charted largest larger lake region people came know great salt lake interpreted maps think referred great salt lake maps names time dropped maps original association forgotten led scientific expedition lake winter coming time survey entire lake happened leadership discovered named mountain range island overly glowing reports area published shortly expedition published formal report survey work popular report area included discussion religious practices based interaction community established years earlier beginning november artist author spent year living remote wrote book poetry inland sea november march march arrived harvest sell nesting birds included work left island early winter group geography great salt lake salt_lake_city originally named great salt lake city president led group pioneers southeast lake july lake lies parts counties davis salt_lake_city suburbs located southeast east lake lake land north west shores west rise south great salt lake fed major rivers minor streams major rivers fed directly indirectly range northeastern utah starts north slope flows north past waters diverted man canal lake later river means river turns south southern idaho eventually flows northeast arm great salt lake starts north slope flows east edge lake jordan river receive water directly flows freshwater utah lake fed primarily originate miles bear jordan flows north utah lake southeast corner great salt lake railroad line runs lake crossing southern end solid causeway supporting railway divides lake portions northeast arm northwest arm southern causeway prevents normal mixing waters lake foot rivers minor streams flow directly northwest arm substantially rest lake provides environment suitable different types algae growing southern lake leading marked color difference sides causeway islands stating number islands difficult method determine island necessarily source water level lake vary greatly years considered island high water year considered peninsula island low water year covered year according interior named islands lake totally submerged historic time connected mainland exposed periods low water addition islands lake contains number rocks reefs fully partially submerged high water levels hand states lake contains recognized islands number varies depending level lake seven islands southern portion lake northwestern portion size counted islands particular year depends level lake largest smallest rocks reefs names like hat bird egg island northwestern arm rest southern portion great salt lake mountain range extensions beneath lake southeastern shore extensions mountain range extension run lake western shore lake deepest area island chains measured feet meters deep average depth feet meters water levels low connected shore peninsula islands remain water level rises average lake effect precipitation warm waters great salt lake lake effect frequent phenomena surrounding area cold north northwest west winds generally blow lake following passage cold temperature difference warm lake cool air form clouds lead precipitation lake typically heaviest eastern east north central deposit excessive snowfall amounts generally narrow band snow highly dependent direction wind blowing lake effect likely occur late fall early winter spring higher temperature differences lake air summer temperature differences cause thunderstorms form lake drift eastward northern partially attributed lake effect fall spring estimated approximately lake effect occur year average precipitation salt_lake_city attributed lake effect high salt concentration lake water unusually dense people float easily bodies water particularly north arm lake water levels recorded averaging feet sea level great salt lake shallow lake gently sloping shores edges south small variations water level greatly affect extent shoreline water level rise dramatically wet years fall dry years water level affected water flow diverted agricultural urban uses jordan rivers particular diverted uses 1880s grove predicted lake middle years recession virtually disappear small remnant islands study tree rings collected watershed great salt lake create year record lake level reconstruction lake level change strongly pacific_ocean coupled ocean atmospheric low frequency reflects scale wet dry cycles characterize region capturing climate utilizing tree ring reconstruction lake level change researchers able predict lake level onward long years great salt lake differs elevation south north parts causeway divides lake parts water surface elevation south lake usually feet higher north lake occurs south dissolved lake deposited desert flats reflect concentration fresh support populations fish salt added yearly rivers streams salt lake main basin highly variable depends lake level ranges parts thousand comparison average world ocean parts thousand composition similar water compared ocean waters slightly enriched potassium depleted calcium 1930s early 1930s project dam lake east north salt_lake_city fresh water reservoir drinking irrigation project abandoned got planning stage known fresh water reservoir completed separated drained subsequently filled fresh water portion great salt lake northeastern arm west desert pumping project record high water levels 1980s caused large property damage owners eastern great salt lake water started base interstate highway response built western lake project consists pumping station containing pumps combined capacity moving gallons minute inlet canal outlet canal miles mile access road town pumping station pumping project designed increase surface area great salt lake increase rate water pumps drove water great salt lake acre square kilometer desert west lake southern end regulated level water basin returned water basin main body great salt lake end year operation pumps removed acre feet water great salt lake project shut june level lake dropped nearly feet meters reaching peak levels june march credits project decline total pumps removed acre feet water operated pumps longer use kept place case level great salt lake rises high ecosystem high parts lake makes species including shrimp flies forms algae flies estimated population billion serve main source food birds migrate lake salt water wetlands eastern northern edges great salt lake provide critical habitat millions migratory western north_america marshes account approximately wetlands utah birds depend marshes include wilson red american black snowy western long billed swan american white white faced california falcon bald eagle plus large populations ducks seven private duck clubs seven state management areas large federal bird refuge great salt lake shores wetland wildlife management areas include public shooting grounds bay islands lake provide critical nesting areas birds access hat islands strictly limited effort protect nesting colonies american white islands great salt lake provide habitat wildlife variety plant species species islands example number explorers visited area noted abundance yellow islands identified species today occurs california time applied plants later named yellow named variety later separated new species species occurs utah today apparently longer islands great salt lake great salt lake high fish occur spring runoff brings fresh water lake aquatic animals live lake main basin including centimeter long shrimp tiny hard walled eggs diameter harvested quantity fall early winter fed asia sold novelty sold live pet stores fish food testing drugs chemicals species fly bacteria algae differences sections lake separated railroad causeway result significantly different community dominated green algae blue green algae water south causeway greenish color north causeway lake dominated species algae releases beta bacteria like water unusual reddish color bacteria converts non toxic mercury toxic mercury flows southern portion lake heavy layer causeway shrimp found arm lake north causeway studies conducted indicate likely populations shrimp restricted lake south arm bays receive lake fresh water diversity organisms higher bays approach fresh water spring snow melt occurs allows variety bacteria algae invertebrates nutrient rich water abundance invertebrates larvae swimmers fed extensively huge populations utilize lake fish bays fed diving solitary chilean named english rock band great salt lake escaped salt_lake_city lived wild eating shrimp referred bird gender actually known group utah residents suggested state release effort floyd company possible tourist attraction wildlife resisted efforts saying deliberate introduction non native species detrimental consequences seen idaho known migrate seen presumed survived winter elevated mercury levels geological survey researchers originally studying levels lake discovered highest levels mercury seen water comparison fish consumption advisory issued water found contain extremely high mercury concentrations lake deep layer depth concentrations moderately high water column oxygen support shrimp flies finding high mercury levels prompted studies health advisory warning hunters eat common northern species duck found lake stated pose risk recreational users lake later studies conducted larger number birds advisories revised added seven species duck studied found levels mercury guidelines determined safe eat study concluded main source mercury likely worldwide industry local sources water levels rise fall mercury accumulation percent mercury comes rivers percent comes atmosphere non toxic form non toxic mercury converted toxic mercury bacteria thrive water north arm affected causeway commerce contributes estimated billion annually utah economy including billion industry primarily mineral extraction million recreation million harvest shrimp solar ponds edges lake produce water high salt quantity minerals extracted lake include common salt water salt blocks livestock melt ice local roadways food grade salt produced lake require costly processing ensure purity potassium commercial production metal gas dust operates plant southwest shore lake produces percent worldwide supply north american operation mineral extraction companies operating lake pay royalties products owns lake harvest shrimp fall early winter developed significant local industry lake providing percent worldwide supply shrimp selling high pound shrimp harvested 1950s sold commercial fish food 1970s focus changed eggs known sold primarily outside united_states food shrimp fish today sold south_america quality affected factors important hatch greatest productivity drops near lose sink making difficult harvest lake north arm contains deposits oil poor quality economically feasible extract barrels crude oil produced shallow wells shore oil field point produced estimated barrels oil wells inactive mid-1980s oil area known late nineteenth century attempts production began industrial debris field remained place near cleanup effort fire completed december causeway causeway running lake built 1950s construction company replacement previously built wooden owned operated trains cross mile causeway day water flow constrained causeway significant impact industries instance northern arm lake higher point native shrimp survive waters southern portion vast majority fresh water found salt level dip necessary shrimp survive water northern bay shrimp harvesting industry benefit causeway allowing flow water increased salt mineral content better subsidiary extracts minerals northern bay extract minerals southern bay benefit natural mixture water sides lake recreation dramatically fluctuating lake levels creation success tourist related developments additionally problem pollution industrial urban natural lake caused decay insects wildlife particularly times low water despite issues lake remains utah largest tourist attractions popular tourist destination offers views lake hiking trails wildlife viewing access beaches state utah operates marina south shore lake great salt lake state park sudden storms expansive spread lake great test sailing skills single mast simple popular boats sudden storms lack experience dangerous elements boating sailing great salt lake resorts called operated southern shore lake built successor previous rising lowering water levels affected iteration destroyed fire pavilion destroyed fire april new pavilion built resort expanded location new investors years challenges eventually destroyed current serves concert venue new resort completed approximately mile west original second included fun house dancing venue legends unusual features spiral northwest arm lake near location work land art spiral visible level drops feet sea level sand lake shores contain sand small rounded spherical grains sand nucleus generally small mineral grain concentric layers calcium lime look similar small great salt lake local legend maintains entrepreneur released great salt lake intent tourist attraction said disappeared lake subsequently sighted multiple times number months confirmed sightings time supposed release lake monster barnes employees lake north shore evening claimed seen large monster body like horse head lake claimed monster attacked men quickly ran away hid morning creature regarded simply buffalo lake thirty years prior brother claimed sighted creature looked like lake near monster called
Great Salt Lake