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What Created Salt Lake?

Published in Lake Formation 2 mins read

Today's Great Salt Lake was created by a combination of specific environmental conditions, including stable weather, evaporation, and the unique geology of the area.

How the Great Salt Lake Formed

According to geological information, the present-day Great Salt Lake began to form around 11,000 years ago. This formation occurred under a specific set of natural circumstances that allowed the lake to exist and accumulate its high salinity.

Key factors involved in the lake's creation include:

  • Relatively Stable Weather Conditions: Consistent weather patterns over a long period contributed to the environmental balance needed for the lake to form and persist.
  • Evaporation: A significant factor, as the high rate of evaporation concentrates the salts brought in by rivers. While evaporation doesn't create the water body, it's crucial to the lake's character (its salinity) and its ability to maintain a specific level relative to inflow.
  • Flat Landscape with No Outlet: The geology of the basin is a critical element. The flat topography allows water to spread out, and the lack of a natural outlet (like a river flowing to the ocean) means that water leaves the basin primarily through evaporation, leaving dissolved minerals behind.

Sustainment of the Lake

While the conditions mentioned above were crucial for its formation, the lake is presently sustained by inflow from several rivers and streams. The primary sources of freshwater are:

  • The Bear River
  • The Weber River
  • The Jordan River
  • Several smaller streams

These rivers carry dissolved salts into the lake. Because water only leaves through evaporation (which removes pure water, not salt), the salt concentration in the lake steadily increases over time.

In summary, the creation of the Great Salt Lake was a process driven by the interaction of climate, geography, and hydrology over thousands of years.