The San Francisco call., 1904-08-15
SALT LAKE
FAST DRYING
Systematic Surveys Show
It's Level to Be Lowering
at a Very Remarkable Rate
FELL FOUR FEET IN 1900
Scientists Figure It's Lease
of Existence to Be Between
Thirty and Fifty Years Yet

Statistics indicate that Great Salt
Lake, the Dead Sea of America, is
doomed-that it is gradually drying up.
The opinion now almost universally
prevails among scientists that this
mysterious body of water, located at an
altitude of 4210 feet above sea level and
a thousand miles inland, and which has
but a single rival, the Dead Sea of
Palestine, is certain within the course
of half a century to disappear from
the map. Some scientists, who have
made a careful study of the fiuctua-
tions of the lake, even declare that it
win be dried up within a quarter of
century.
Various statistics of climatic condi-
tions including precipitation records,
are complete for Utah back to 1863,
with scattering accounts for many pre-
ceding years, and it has been possible
from these data, although the problem
is far from being simple one, to
arrive at these and other conclusions
conclusions so well founded, as shall
herein be shown, that the predicted
destiny of the lake cannot well be dis
puted.
The lake is subject to annual f1uctua-
tions, which, up to the 1st of July of
each year, give a rise of water level
usually amounting to about twelve
L
and the fall is invariably greater than
the preceding one. We have statistical
proof that this has been going on for
thirty-five years. In the meantime,
however, in addition to the lakes an
nual fluctuations, there have been wet
and dry cycles which temporarily affect
the lakes level to a very great extent.
During one Of these wet cycles the level
may rise several feet, but, like the an
nual rises, it always fails to reach the
mark set by the preceding one. In
drawing conclusions these facts must
necessarily be taken into consideration.
From the close Of the year 1886 to
the close Of 1902, sixteen years, there
has been a total fall of eleven and
half feet. While this is considered
alarming, measurements show that the
shrinkage has been even more rapid
during the past three years than for
any other like period in the sixteen,
the average fall being one foot per
year-that is, one foot after deducting
the preceding annual rise. At this ratio
in forty years the level will be cor
responding number of feet below its
present standard, which means that
the lake bottom will practically be a
dry, salt desert. The water in what
is known as the north arm is now a
little less than forty feet deep, and
this is considered the deepest portion
] of the lake.
This is one way of reckoning the
time until the Great Salt Lake will
! cease to be. Here is another:
Sixteen years ago, in 1886, the area of
the lakes surface was estimated at
about 200 square miles. Taking twen-
| ty feet as the average depth at that
time, we have ], ,505. .433, 500 900 cubic feet
as the contents of the lake. TODAY
| according to recent surveys, the lake
has an area of about 2125 square miles
! Multiplying this number by eleven and
half, the number of feet in depth Of
the water that has disappeared and not
been replaced, gives $50. IT'S, 400 900 cubic
feet as the quantity of water less than
what it had sixteen years ago; or.
leaving S35, ,655 200, 900 cubic feet as the
lakes present contents. At this ratio
of decrease in quantity in less than
| twenty-five years the lake will be
waterless.
To show the effect Of cycle fuctua-
| tions and how the lake is steadily
4 shrinking despite temporary rises, a