Republican lawmakers from Utah's Capitol Hill visited the Great Salt Lake wetlands on Thursday to observe the effects of existing policies and prepare for the 2027 Utah State Legislature, according to a September 19 report.
The Senate Majority Caucus organized the trip using the Utah Department of Natural Resources airboat fleet to inspect the health of the lake area.
Senate Majority Whip Chris Wilson, R-Logan, participated in the trip and noted that the experience served as an object lesson regarding the need for more water in the lake.
Senator Wilson stated that bills focused on the Great Salt Lake would be introduced within the next month. Since the lake reached a historic low in 2022, lawmakers have passed dozens of bills and spent approximately one billion dollars on water conservation measures.
State officials noted that Utah will end the water year with the Great Salt Lake one foot above its historic low, which they described as a success. Rep. Jill Koford, R-Ogden, said the lake is not facing absolute ecological collapse despite the worst snow season on record.
Rep. Koford, who is currently running for a Senate seat, intends to introduce a bill in the upcoming legislative session to encourage cities and towns to dedicate conserved water to the lake. Lawmakers also discussed methods to eradicate invasive phragmites to increase available water and ways to encourage agricultural producers to dedicate conserved water to the lake following a successful pilot project in Cache Valley.
Great Salt Lake Commissioner Hannah Freeze, who accompanied the lawmakers, said the wetlands are thriving and noted that she intends to seek additional funding for water and infrastructure improvements.
Freeze is targeting $100 million each from state, federal, and private philanthropic sources. She also identified potential water sources in the West Desert's Newfoundland Basin and impounded water in the Stansbury Bay area that could be engineered toward the lake. Freeze urged the public to continue conserving water and to work together to avoid finger pointing.
