Great Salt Lake Hits Record Lows, Raising Health Risks
Shrinking lakebed exposes sediments that can release heavy metals and chemicals into the air Utahns breathe.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Asthma
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The Great Salt Lake has reached record lows for several consecutive years, and its shrinkage increases the risk of people breathing in heavy metals, arsenic, mercury and other chemical compounds. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment is suing the state to restore the lake.
Why it matters
As the lake shrinks, exposed lakebed sediments can release airborne contaminants that affect residents across Utah. The lake also supports millions of migrating birds, and the lower water level could affect the state's ski industry.
The lake has hit record lows for several years, but the extraction does not provide measured airborne contaminant levels. Exposure risk is described qualitatively, and the lawsuit's outcome remains unknown.
The players
Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment
A Utah-based group of physicians that has sued the state to restore the Great Salt Lake.
Dr. Brian Moench
Co-founder and president of Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, scheduled to speak on climate and health in Boise.
The details
As the Great Salt Lake shrinks, exposed lakebed sediments release heavy metals, arsenic, mercury and other chemical compounds into the air. Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment has sued Utah to restore the lake.
Timeline
For the past several years, the Great Salt Lake has hit record lows.
Dr. Brian Moench is scheduled to speak in Boise, Idaho, on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, as part of the Climate & Health Learning Series.
Health Landscape
The lawsuit by Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment frames the Great Salt Lake's decline as a public health question rather than only an ecological one. The case places the state's obligation to restore the lake at the center of a growing debate over environmental exposure in the Intermountain West.
Residents near the Great Salt Lake may face greater exposure to airborne heavy metals and chemicals as the lakebed dries. People with respiratory conditions such as asthma may want to consider air-quality conditions when planning outdoor activity.
The takeaway
Shrinking water bodies can create airborne health hazards long after the water recedes. Residents concerned about local air quality can follow updates from public health agencies and advocacy groups working on the lake.
What happens next
Dr. Brian Moench is scheduled to speak in Boise on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, as part of the Climate & Health Learning Series.
Further reading
Learn more about airborne health risks in our Asthma coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Boise State Public Radio.
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