Nathan Murthy
But the Great Salt Lake is a wide and shallow inland sea, fatally susceptible to evaporation.
In the time the lake levels dropped, the surface area decreased from 3,300 to 950 square miles, a reduction of 2,350 square miles.
The area lost is larger than the land area of the entire state of Delaware. Water diverted for human use from the Bear, Jordan and Weber Rivers is largely to blame.
The Great Salt Lake is at risk of disappearing in our lifetime.
The inland sea is highly productive, supporting billion-dollar industries like salt, brine shrimp and magnesium. Its wetlands host 10-12 million migratory birds, including American white pelicans, snowy plovers and eared grebes.
Additionally, lake effect snow contributes to the Wasatch Front’s relatively high precipitation levels, enabling Utah’s world-famous skiing and distinctive snow quality. Without the lake, the Salt Lake Valley risks becoming as dry and dusty as the West Desert.
The immense challenge of sustaining Great Salt Lake for current and future generations requires all of us to act. Conserving water in every capacity is vital, especially among the biggest water users who must lead by example.
I examined our campus water usage.
Public universities aren’t federally required to disclose their water usage. However, Savannah Jordaan and Alta Fairbourne, members of ASUU, asked the landscaping department for this information.
In 2024, the U used roughly 227 million gallons to irrigate campus landscaping and 808 million gallons in total — costing nearly $10 million. The good news is, since 2020, water usage has decreased by 14%.
However, we still consume over 800 million gallons annually.
Although $10 million seems expensive, it’s relatively cheap for the quantity.
Utah’s water conservancy districts manage water supply via dams and pipelines, funded largely by property taxes. This subsidizes water costs for all users, particularly tax-exempt institutions like the U. Consequently, the university benefits from taxpayer-funded water infrastructure but lacks significant financial incentives to reduce their own consumption.
A significant portion of the U’s water use goes to irrigating lawns and other landscaping features. Lawns require constant watering, especially during Utah’s scorching summers when temperatures can exceed 100°F.
Evaporation further exacerbates water demand, leaving grass thirsty for more precious watershed water.
America’s obsession with lawns stems from European heritage.
Lawns were brought to North America to mimic the estates of British royalty, symbolizing wealth and prestige. Eastern U.S. college campuses often feature lush green lawns sustained by abundant rainfall.
But the U isn’t in England or the East Coast — it’s in a desert.
At Arizona State University, their landscaping features drought-tolerant trees and succulents, mimicking the surrounding desert and providing ecological functionality. The U must adopt a similar approach.
The short answer to this problem is collaboration between students, landscaping and administration.
Read the full op-ed by Nathan Murthy originally posted in The Chronicle here.
Sustainability Associate Director for the Associated Students of the U, Murthy is an earth and environmental Ssience major in the College of Science and works in the Şekercioğlu lab in the School of Biological Sciences. He is also a Wilkes Scholar through the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, also in the College of Science.