Satellite images reveal shrinkage of Utah’s Great Salt Lake

Striking new images show lake has lost nearly half of its surface area from the historical average

New satellite images from the European Space Agency have illustrated the extent of dwindling water levels in the Great Salt Lake in Utah, a month after it reached its lowest water level ever recorded.

Highlighting falling water levels and the decreasing size of the lake, the report compares satellite images from 1985 and 2022. At its peak in the 1980s, it covered about 8,550 sq km (3,300 sq miles); in recent measurements, it has lost nearly half of its surface area from the historical average. The new record, registered last month, was the second historical low reached in less than a year.