Utah's environmental crisis: an "environmental nuclear bomb" waiting to unleash devastating consequences on a region of over two million residents. The documentary, "The Lake", directed by Abby Ellis, sheds light on the Great Salt Lake's precipitous decline, which threatens not just its ecosystem but also the lives and livelihoods of people dependent on it.
In 2022, the lake reached record lows, losing 73% of its water and 60% of its surface area due to excess diversion for agriculture and other uses. This is a dire warning that going down this path "is absolute insanity", according to Ben Abbott, an ecologist at Brigham Young University. The situation has become so dire that Abbott believes people are "close to the edge" without realizing it.
The consequences of inaction would be catastrophic. Toxic dust clouds laden with mercury, arsenic, and selenium from the desiccated lakebed would increase pollution, causing respiratory problems and cancer-related issues for a city whose air quality is already worse than Los Angeles. The disappearance of the Great Salt Lake would also spell economic disaster, imperil the extraction of minerals from its bed, and threaten ski conditions at resorts in the nearby mountains.
Despite the dire warnings, the state government's approach to addressing the crisis has been more moderate, with officials like Brian Steed pursuing a compromise with farmers whose livelihoods depend on water access. While incremental progress may be made, the changes required to save the lake are so massive that "winning slowly is losing", according to Abbott.
The documentary highlights the efforts of scientists and advocates who are pushing for a radical overhaul of Utah's water use policies. With the target date set at 2034 – just before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City – there remains hope that drastic action can be taken to restore the lake to healthier levels and showcase Utah's pioneer spirit on a global stage.
The Sundance film festival may be leaving Utah, but "The Lake" maintains a hopeful eye on the region's future. Saving the Great Salt Lake is not an impossible task, according to Steed. The question remains: will it happen before it's too late?
In 2022, the lake reached record lows, losing 73% of its water and 60% of its surface area due to excess diversion for agriculture and other uses. This is a dire warning that going down this path "is absolute insanity", according to Ben Abbott, an ecologist at Brigham Young University. The situation has become so dire that Abbott believes people are "close to the edge" without realizing it.
The consequences of inaction would be catastrophic. Toxic dust clouds laden with mercury, arsenic, and selenium from the desiccated lakebed would increase pollution, causing respiratory problems and cancer-related issues for a city whose air quality is already worse than Los Angeles. The disappearance of the Great Salt Lake would also spell economic disaster, imperil the extraction of minerals from its bed, and threaten ski conditions at resorts in the nearby mountains.
Despite the dire warnings, the state government's approach to addressing the crisis has been more moderate, with officials like Brian Steed pursuing a compromise with farmers whose livelihoods depend on water access. While incremental progress may be made, the changes required to save the lake are so massive that "winning slowly is losing", according to Abbott.
The documentary highlights the efforts of scientists and advocates who are pushing for a radical overhaul of Utah's water use policies. With the target date set at 2034 – just before the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City – there remains hope that drastic action can be taken to restore the lake to healthier levels and showcase Utah's pioneer spirit on a global stage.
The Sundance film festival may be leaving Utah, but "The Lake" maintains a hopeful eye on the region's future. Saving the Great Salt Lake is not an impossible task, according to Steed. The question remains: will it happen before it's too late?
, I'm literally shaking thinking about what's gonna happen to the Great Salt Lake if we don't take drastic action ASAP! 
Like, 73% of its water gone?! 
. We need to do something NOW to change our water use policies. The documentary "The Lake" is so eye-opening and I love how it highlights the efforts of scientists and advocates pushing for a radical overhaul 
. Let's hope they can make it happen by 2034 before it's too late 
. This is literally a wake-up call for us to take care of our planet! 
I'm seriously concerned about what's gonna happen to the people living around the lake 
. If Utah doesn't do something drastic, it'll be a disaster 
. I mean, toxic dust clouds everywhere? No thanks! 
And it's not just the environment that's gonna suffer, but also the economy and people's lives. I don't think "winning slowly" is an option here... we need big changes now 
️.
from farmers, right? meanwhile ben abbott's warnings are being ignored because... well, "compromise"... sounds super convincing lol. & btw, 2034 is like, forever away 
but hey, at least there's hope that we won't all die from toxic dust clouds 
how the scientists and advocates are trying to make drastic changes happen. I guess it's better late than never, right? But what about all those people who depend on that lake for their livelihoods? It's a big ask to just turn around everything overnight.
but at the same time you gotta give credit to the scientists and advocates who are fighting for change , theyre not giving up hope which is cool 
I mean, 73% of its water gone in like 2 years? That's not a crisis, that's just a really good excuse for farmers to say "I didn't steal enough water from the lake this year". Like come on guys, we can do better than that. It's not about being "insane" or "losing slowly", it's about recognizing that our actions have consequences. And yeah, the air quality in LA is bad, but at least they don't have a giant lake that's basically a toxic waste dump 
I'm just worried about the long-term effects on the people living there. They're already dealing with bad air quality, and now this toxic dust stuff is gonna make it even worse? 
It's like they're playing a game of ecological Russian roulette. 
And what about those farmers who rely on water access? I get that it's a complex issue, but can't we find a way to balance everything? 
Maybe it's time for some radical changes, like Abbott said. 
i really hope they can turn things around before 2034 but like ben abbott said winning slowly is losing so lets make some noise and demand change 
73% of the lake's water just lost in like what, 2 years?! That's insane. I get that farmers need water but 60% less surface area is a big deal. We're playing with fire here and it's not even like we're trying to save money or anything... it's more about our own future 
Still, I'm kinda hopeful that we can make some changes before 2034... fingers crossed 
What's even crazier is that people who depend on it for their livelihoods are still not taking this seriously enough. I mean, come on guys, we need to act fast before it's too late. The thought of toxic dust clouds and pollution affecting people's health is just awful 
my friends back home in Utah are counting on that lake for everything and I know they're gonna get hit hard if we don't do something ASAP. 73% of the water just gone in two years is insane! We gotta take drastic action now, not like we're waiting around to see what happens, because if we don't the consequences will be devastating. Cancer, respiratory issues, the whole works... my cousin's sister lives near that lake and I can already imagine how bad it'll get.
. Those farmers might have a point about needing access to water, but isn't it time for them to start thinking about the bigger picture and all the other people who rely on that lake? I mean, we're talking toxic dust clouds, economic disaster...it's like they say, "you can't put a price on a healthy environment" 
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73% of the lake's water and 60% of its surface area just gone?! what's the plan to stop this madness?! 
I'm keeping an eye on this story and hoping they can get some real change done before 2034. 
this is like watching a ticking time bomb - you know it's gonna go off and when it does, it's gonna be MESSY 
and those numbers... 73% of water gone in ONE YEAR?!?! that's insane! 
at this rate we'll be drinking seawater by 2034