New Environmental Advocacy Group
A new local chapter of the organization Grow the Flow has been established in Park City to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of the Great Salt Lake's declining water levels. The group is specifically targeting concerns regarding toxic dust and changes to regional snow patterns within the Wasatch Back area.
Focus on Toxic Dust
The formation of the Park City chapter comes as residents and organizers monitor the ecological shifts in the region. According to KPCW reporting on July 25, 2026, the group's primary mission involves educating the community about how the receding shoreline affects local air quality through toxic dust and influences broader environmental conditions.
Historical Water Management
The urgency of the group's mission is underscored by the historical management of the lake's water levels. The West Desert Pumping Station, a system of three pumps located at the south end of Hogup Ridge, was originally implemented to combat rising water levels that threatened Salt Lake City International Airport, railroads, and I-8 and shoreline industries.
The $60 Million Pumping Plan
The pumping station project was a massive infrastructure undertaking, costing nearly $60 million in state funds and involving the excavation of six and a half miles of canals to move water from the lake to the Newfoundland Basin. While the system went online in April 1987 to mitigate flooding risks, the onset of a drought caused the lake level to subside naturally shortly after.
Shift to Natural Subsidence
Because the natural decline in water levels rendered the active pumping of the lake unnecessary, the West Desert Pumping Station was mothballed in 1989. This historical shift from managing rising waters to dealing with a receding shoreline provides the backdrop for the current environmental anxieties being addressed by the Grow the Flow chapter.
Future Regional Advocacy
As the local community continues to grapple with these environmental changes, the Grow the Flow initiative represents a new phase of regional advocacy centered on the Wasatch Back.
