SALT LAKE CITY — Drivers may notice new billboards across Salt Lake County roadways that do much more than hawk attorney services or promote casinos sitting just over the state line.
The colorful billboards feature meters providing real-time data on the Great Salt Lake's current water levels, making sure all are aware of its decline. As of Monday, the lake was 37.5 percent full and just over 5 feet below its minimum health level.
Grow the Flow, a nonprofit group focused on water policy, is behind the billboards, which they hope will bring attention to the lake's dire condition.
“No billboard can capture all of the details of the health of the lake, but just seeing the current lake volume gives Utahns a way to access the situation," said BYU professor of ecology, Dr. Ben Abbott, who also serves as executive director of Grow the Flow.
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According to the group, the Great Salt Lake's current elevation of 4192.6 feet above sea level is the same as in 2021, one year before it reached its record low.
“Great Salt Lake is at a critical tipping point. While we’ve seen positive momentum in recent years, the work is far from over,” said Jake Dreyfous, managing director of Grow the Flow.
