Great Salt Lake is one of our hemisphere’s most important migratory bird habitats.  Yet today there are no numeric water quality standards in place to protect its waters. Little data exists on pollutants that are dumped in the Lake, and how they affect its millions of shorebirds and waterfowl.

“It’s actually quite shocking,” said Chris Montague, the Conservancy’s Director of Conservation. “The lack of measurable water quality standards represents a serious threat to all of the Lake’s wildlife. We just have not been responsibly tracking how humans are impacting this natural treasure.”

Groundbreaking Research

But that’s about to change—thanks to an effort between the State Division of Water Quality, the Conservancy, the Great Salt Lake Alliance, Friends of Great Salt Lake, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, Kennecott Utah Copper and other stakeholders.

These stakeholders formed the Great Salt Lake Water Quality Steering Committee -- including federal and state regulatory agencies, other public entities, conservation organizations, recreation groups, and industrial users -- charged with recommending site-specific numeric water quality standards for the contaminant selenium in the Lake, in order to prevent impairment of beneficial uses and sustain the natural resources of the Lake and its wetlands. 

The Committee also relied on a prestigious Science Panel to analyze existing data, direct new research projects to help determine how selenium behaves in the Lake’s ecosystem, and interpret the results.

“The Science Panel was composed of the nation’s leading experts on selenium contamination and saline water bodies,” said Maunsel Pearce, a Conservancy Board Member and Founder of the Great Salt Lake Alliance. “This is a truly exciting first step for the long-term protection of the Lake and wetlands.”

Setting a Standard

On May 28, 2008, the Steering Committee deliberated and forwarded several recommendations for numeric selenium standards to the Board of the Division of Water Quality.  The Board is now taking public comments on the issue and will make their final decision in September (See "Selenium Standard: No Effect or 10% Effect?" at right).

If the standard setting for selenium is successful, the Steering Committee plans to address standards for other major sources of pollution within the Lake waters.  Working with the Environmental Protection Agency, Utah’s Division of Water Quality will implement the new standards and have a numeric, tangible and scientific foundation for regulating the health of the Lake.

“We’re extremely optimistic,” said Montague.  “A globally important resource rests in our backyard, and this effort marks Utah’s first government-led attempt to protect its waters.  That’s a major milestone for our state, and for the birds of Great Salt Lake.”

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Gary Crandall (Sandhill Cranes); Photo © Gary Crandall (Great Salt Lake).