The Great Salt Lake is in crisis. In 2026, Utah’s snowpack hit its lowest level on record, and the lake is on track to reach a new historic low. The southern arm of the lake has already dropped into the “serious adverse effects” range, and scientists estimate that the lake has lost roughly 73% of its water and 60% of its surface area relative to historical norms.

This isn’t a distant environmental problem — it’s a public health emergency on our doorstep. As the lakebed dries and becomes exposed, wind picks up dust contaminated with heavy metals like arsenic and carries it directly into the neighborhoods of District 21 and across the Wasatch Front. The lake also supports a $2.5 billion economy tied to mineral extraction, brine shrimp harvesting, and recreation, and it plays a critical role in generating the lake-effect snow that Utah’s ski industry—and water supply—depend on.

Jeneanne will fight for the Great Salt Lake in the legislature by:

• Supporting water conservation legislation that addresses the root cause of the lake’s decline: overconsumption. Agriculture accounts for approximately 75% of Utah’s water use, and municipal and industrial use is growing. We need a comprehensive approach to reducing consumption across all sectors.

• Advocating for dedicated water flows to the lake through programs that compensate farmers for temporarily leasing water rights, removing invasive phragmites, and modernizing irrigation infrastructure.

• Demanding transparency from major industrial water users, including data centers, which are increasingly relying on Utah’s limited water resources.

• Funding the dust monitoring network that the state has begun building to protect public health and ensure the data reaches residents in communities like Rose Park and Fairpark.

• Holding the state accountable to its goal of restoring the lake to healthy levels by 2034, before the Winter Olympics return to Utah, is crucial.

The choices we make in the next few legislative sessions will determine whether we save this lake or lose it. Jeneanne refuses to let that happen on her watch.