New research suggests the Great Salt Lake and other dried-out lakes are a significant yet overlooked source of planet-warming carbon pollution. Worryingly, this source of pollution is not currently included in already high estimates of harmful carbon pollution in our atmosphere.
What's happening?
As outlined in a Washington Post report, new research out of Utah is sounding alarms when it comes to the impact of dried-out lakes on air pollution.
A new study in the journal One Earth reports that 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other air pollution were released from the drying bed of the Great Salt Lake in 2020. This would amount to about a 7% increase in Utah's human-caused planet-warming pollution in that year.
Other existing research has documented carbon pollution from dried-out lakes, but this new study points directly to human actions as the cause of such high levels of pollution. The Great Salt Lake has largely been drawn down for human use in agriculture, mining, and urban consumption. The lake's health has also worsened from our changing climate and the region's decades-long drought, according to researchers.
"This is the first time we're saying, 'This is something that's on us,'" study author Soren Brothers told the Washington Post.
Why is this type of carbon pollution important?
Healthy lakes normally store carbon in their beds. That's because plant and animal remains settle on the bottom of lakes, usually degrading slowly in low-oxygen areas of sediment. But when a lake dries out, those remains become exposed to high levels of oxygen, making this carbon-releasing decay happen much faster.
This type of pollution is concerning for many reasons. As Utah's state website outlines, the drying of the Great Salt Lake could cause further environmental impacts like "increased dust, less snow, reduced lake access, elevated salinity, habitat loss, island bridges, more invasive plant growth and negative economic consequences to the state."
The Great Salt Lake has been in danger for some time, with some research estimating the lake could disappear entirely in just five years without appropriate action.
What's being done about carbon pollution from dried-out lakes?
The Washington Post reported that researchers — including those involved in this study — are collecting evidence with the hopes of convincing the United Nations to include carbon pollution from dried-out lakes in their global carbon inventories.
As for the Great Salt Lake, politicians have already taken action to help protect its levels, passing laws to help preserve the lake. Still, environmental activists are calling for local and federal governments to do more, given the lake's dire condition.
Utah has also called for locals to shift their behavior to help curb water usage. The state currently grants subsidies to farmers if they upgrade their irrigation systems and encourages citizens to collect rainwater to help preserve the lake.
Though the issue of dried-out lakes needs governmental action to be solved, it's important to be aware of your own water consumption. Consider taking shorter showers, checking your pipes for leaks, and running your dishwasher and laundry washer only when full to help manage your water waste.
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