MAGNA, Utah - After a year of being out of the water, sail boats are going back into the Great Salt Lake.
The boats were taken out last year when water levels got too low for sailing, but a wet winter and spring have given sailors the room they need to head back out on the water.
A crew of about 12 used a crane to hoist around 22 sailboats out of the parking lot and lower them into the marina. It’s a day boat owner Allen Miller said he’s been waiting for all year.
“We had a party,” Miller said. “We had a party at our house. There are a few of us who enjoy sailing on the lake, but it’s beautiful.”
The shrinking Great Salt Lake has been a concern for several years.Data compiled by the US Geological Survey shows levels have gone down for the past decade, currently sitting about 2,400 feet.
Last year the Utah State Legislature approved a $3 million project to dredge the marina and give boats a little more sailing room. That’s a project that is still underway.
