Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Climatization-Negligent Attribution Of Great Salt Lake Desiccation: A Comment On Meng (2019), Michael L. Wine, Sarah E. Null, R. Justin Derose, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

A recent article reviewed data on Great Salt Lake (Utah) and concluded falsely that climate changes, especially local warming and extreme precipitation events, are primarily responsible for lake elevation changes. Indeed climatically influenced variation of net inflows contribute to huge swings in the elevation of Great Salt Lake (GSL) and other endorheic lakes. Although droughts and wet cycles have caused lake elevation changes of over 4.5 m, they have not caused a significant long-term change in the GSL stage. This recent article also suggests that a 1.4 °C rise in air temperature and concomitant increase in the lake's evaporative loss …