The Solution to Save the Great Salt Lake and Provide Water to Utah and 40m people in the Western Region is Under our Feet.

Read Time: 10 minutes.

The Great Salt Lake, city skyline, and the Wasatch Mountain.

In reference to the drought conditions being experienced in the Great Basin, which directly impact the Great Salt Lake, the Colorado River, Lake Powell, Lake Mead, their tributaries, and the eight-state region, four general positions are being proposed to alleviate the water shortages we collectively face: 1. conservation and slowing growth. 2. bringing in water from outside sources. 3. relying on Nature to provide. 4. finding other sources of water.

While I believe there is merit in a balanced approach and appreciate that much good is being done by thoughtful people at the present time, this post will argue in favor of finding other sources of water as the primary solution to our challenge.

Conservation and slowing growth.

Nine out of ten Utahns live along the Wasatch Front and in Washington County. In other words, 90% of the state’s residents live on just 1.1% of the land.

The federal government owns 64.4% of the land.

4.5% of the land is held in trust for tribal nations.

The state of Utah owns about 10% of the land.

21% of the land is privately owned, much of which is not suitable for or used for residential development.

I do not see conservation (heresy, I know) and slowing down Utah’s growth as feasible solutions.

Bringing in water from outside sources.

If state, regional, national, and international politics could allow water to flow from Canada, the Colombia River, the Snake River, or directly or indirectly from any of the Great Lakes, into the Great Basin, that would be an incredible solution.

Relying on Nature to provide.

In its truest sense, no matter which solution we adopt, we will be relying on Nature to provide. However, I am specifically referring to snowpack, water storage, and allocation. There are many perspectives to consider: we need water for food, recreation, and lifestyles, which is why my proposed solution will focus on the 4th option.

Finding other sources of water.

People of faith are often ridiculed because we believe that “the earth has enough and to spare,” an affirmation that the Earth’s resources are abundant. Somewhat heartening, it is also true that even scientists can be “stunned by Nature’s surprises.” Let’s consider:

71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.

The Earth’s crust (mantle) may hold more water than all the ocean’s combined.

Within the Earth are “the fountains of the deep,” the subterranean waters that combined with the rain to flood the Earth in the days of Noah.

The remainder of this post will focus on this option. I invite you to read, comment, like, and share.

COMMON SENSE:  A Call to Action

An LDS maxim states: “Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause and do many things of their own free will . . . for the power is in them.” There is value in proactive engagement, individual initiative, and meaningful contributions toward achieving positive results, rather than waiting to be told what to do. Service is an imperative, whether to God or to our fellowmen. Bringing water to the Great Salt Lake and surrounding areas is a good cause.

In the 1930s. in a powerful example of harnessing Nature’s abundance, government and private interests combined to build a series of dams, canals, and irrigation systems in the Northwest, bringing water and transportation to the land. These visionary efforts brought productive agriculture and a multitude of benefits to millions of people in the region and across the entire United States. Though solving today’s issues will require a different approach, the challenge remains the same: we need water!

In all human pursuits, power shapes societal structures and influences quality of life. Therefore, even though the issue of power may appear to be balanced and fair at the present time, it is essential to exercise discernment amid the many factors at play. The increasing mindset of scarcity feeds inefficiency, lust for control, and bureaucratic growth. Hence the constant emphasis on the crisis of the GSL: “Droughts are growing more severe as population increases . . . Less surface water is available . . . Reliance on well water is increasing . . . Everything is human caused . . . We must regulate . . . We must control population and growth . . . We have tools for later use.” Some observers even go so far as to attribute aspects of climate change to certain religious groups, such as the LDS Church, noting that their support for irrigation and large families increases resource consumption. These perspectives are a powerful reminder that Thoreau’s idea of addressing the root cause is essential.

Water means freedom!

As debates over power intensify, we the people have a great deal to lose if bureaucratic thinking and policies win the day. To preserve liberty, boldness is needed. Let’s not forget, that government is best which governs least.

Water means beauty!

Let’s continue to beautify our homes, yards, parks, public spaces, and houses of worship; let’s keep our lawns, gardens, and fences well-groomed, reflecting orderliness. Let the beehive–with the hive and the honeybees forming our communal coat of arms–be a significant representation of the industry, harmony, order, and frugality of the people, demonstrating the sweet results of our toil, union, and intelligent cooperation. Let’s keep in mind the eternal principle that all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of mankind, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart. Let’s cherish our mountain lakes, rivers, and streams, and do everything we can to support the migratory birds and animals that seek refuge and sanctuary across our state. In our pursuit of social refinement, let’s rejoice that music continues to swell the breeze with freedom’s song.

Water means a bright future!

Let’s continue to develop parks and trails that bring families together and draw people to the beautiful outdoors. Let’s continue to support the centers that celebrate the arts, elevating the culture. Let’s continue to showcase our commitment to education, physical achievement, and entertainment through beautiful schools, manicured campuses, and magnificent athletic fields, arenas, and golf courses. Let’s continue to facilitate commerce through transportation systems that are safe and efficient as they carry us to the four corners of our state. Let’s continue to keep our winter sports and year-round outdoor activities attractive and vibrant.

Citing Jay Evensen (DN, Dec. 1, 2022), I encourage KSL Radio and TV, the Deseret News, Rod Arquette and Greg Hughes, as well as all other Church and secular communication organs to give voice to the proposals by Steven Lund and Matthew Memmot in order to spur interest and thought in the public square by advancing positive conversation of horizontal drilling of deep freshwater aquifers and statewide desalination reactors to quickly restore the GSL, refill Lake Powell and Lake Mead, and increase water flow across Utah and the Western region for the benefit of over 40 million people. The methods they advocate are presently in use across the United States.

Deep water aquifers, found 400 to several thousand meters underground and still largely uncharted, are more widespread than once thought. The current record drought and historical absence of saline lake recovery offer a timely opportunity to seek new deep groundwater sources.

The USGS estimates that these aquifers contain at least 900 million acre-feet of water, with approximately 700,000 acre-feet needed to restore the GSL. Verifying these figures would involve drilling wells projected to cost $100 million. Using existing oil and gas data and satellite technology will reduce exploration costs.

Down through the years, beginning in Nauvoo and continuing through the modern day, the Restored Church has faced many challenges. In the early stages of the great pioneer exodus, Church leaders directed members to construct the roads and bridges to assist the migration. These efforts were followed by the down-and-back trains and the rescue at Martin’s Cove directed by Brigham Young.

In addition to the tasks performed by the Saints, many of the things that have been done were beyond the capacity of ordinary members, requiring a much higher level of ecclesiastical engagement. For example, sending supplies to war-torn Europe following World War II, the ongoing world-wide philanthropic efforts carried out by the Church, and, in partnership with local officials, the renovation and improvement of downtown Salt Lake City to create a buffer of protection around Temple Square and Church headquarters.

While Church members continue to contribute tithes, offerings, missionary service, and other support, we do not have sufficient resources among us to solve the current water crisis. I believe that alleviating the drought will require another joint venture between ecclesiastical and state officials. I urge the Church to play the leading role in controlling the narrative, providing the funding, and organizing the efforts, because sitting back and relying on well-intentioned individuals and organizations risks empowering bureaucracy and reducing our individual and collective freedom.

LDS generosity is well known throughout the world, but at the same time we can focus on strengthening ourselves from within, without compromising that vital mission. Much like the need for the development of City Creek as a protective barrier within downtown Salt Lake, action must be taken to expand the arc of protection to all citizens of Utah and beyond our borders through solving the water crisis. Regardless of your location or resources, this crisis threatens our very way of life and the spiritual work we have been assigned to do. Instead of relying solely on Providence, let’s keep in mind that the Lord helps those who help themselves.

I respectfully urge the Church at all levels of bureaucracy, leadership, and membership to follow the prophet. When the prophet announces a house of the Lord, he is endorsing growth, prosperity, and freedom. Proven time and again, this is the economic pattern that unfolds once a temple is dedicated. He is also affirming that the Restoration is ongoing, that the Restored Church is the kingdom of God on the Earth, that the earth has enough and to spare, and that the desert blooming as a rose symbolizes a spiritual transformation from darkness to light as well as the interdependence of human and environmental health. If we see in these words more than mere abstractions, then indeed the power is in us to be anxiously engaged in a good cause.

Sources:

1. Doctrine and Covenants 58:27-28.
2. Jay Evensen, DN Opinion Editor, December 1, 2022.
3. Deep Groundwater Might be a Sustainable Solution to the Water Crisis by Claudia Bertoni, Fridtjov Ruden, Elizabeth Quiroga Jordan and Helene Ruden. February 27, 2025.
4. Great Salt Lake Strike Team.
5. Doug Burgum: A rough rider at heart. DN May 15, 2025.
6. Sustainability, October 12, 2022, Beyond the story: Great Salt Lake in the New York Times, Maximilian S. Werner, College of Humanities.
7. If the Great Salt Lake dries up what would that mean for the U.S. economy? Janet Nguyen, SaveShare.
8. The Colorado River Basin’s groundwater is disappearing faster than the river  itself. May 31, 2025, Kevin Lind, Ideas and Culture team covering the Intermountain West.
9. The Great Lake Is Drying. Can Utah Save It? Leia Larsen, The New York Times, May 5, 2025.
10.  Climate Change and Capitalism: A Political Marxist View. Simon Mair, July 7, 2019.
11. Environmentalists’ goal is climate indoctrination, not education. Washington Examiner, Kaylee McGhee White.