Senator Curtis urges all-hands approach and federal funding to rescue the Great Salt Lake

At a Monday event hosted by the Sutherland Institute, Sen. John Curtis argued that rescuing the Great Salt Lake demands a comprehensive, collaborative strategy rather than isolated fixes. With the lake’s level just two feet above its historic low and exposing roughly 800 square miles of lakebed, Curtis warned of cascading impacts on regional weather and ski-area revenue. He pointed to engineering options like re-activating pumps in the Newfoundland Basin, which could add 30,000-60,000 acre-feet annually, and suggested revising water pricing to curb wasteful usage.

While Utah Rep. Celeste Maloy has already secured $10 million for a watershed program and a recent settlement added $60 million, Curtis emphasized that the $1 billion Trump-requested budget line could be pivotal if Utah presents a concrete spending plan. He hopes to bring Trump to Utah to discuss the proposal, noting that success could set a global precedent for large-scale lake restoration.