The state of Utah reached a formal water rights agreement with Compass Minerals on Tuesday, September 3. This arrangement will divert 201,000 acre-feet of water back into the Great Salt Lake as long as the surface level remains below the accepted minimum healthy range of 4,198 feet. The water was previously redirected by Compass Minerals to extract minerals such as magnesium chloride and salt.
This new development is intended to offset the decline of the Great Salt Lake’s water levels caused by recent drought conditions. An acre-foot is defined as the amount of water it would take to submerge one acre of land in one foot of water. Compass Minerals may still withdraw up to their substantial water right when lake levels are acceptable, but have agreed to abstain during years when lake levels are low.
“Right now they’re going to cut back a sizable amount of the water that they had been diverting, as well as guarantee that they won’t use any of that additional water right until the lake level comes back to 4,198 feet,” said Great Salt Lake Commissioner Brian Steed. “It’s a big deal, because that means they’ll keep that water in the lake and keep the lake from shrinking even further, making sure we have a healthier lake even in times of extreme drought.”
Compass Minerals Chief Executive Officer and President Edward C. Dowling emphasized the financial importance of preserving the lake’s natural resources.
“The Great Salt Lake is a vital ecosystem and economic engine that we must all work to protect, and Compass Minerals stands with the many diverse stakeholders contributing toward the preservation of this globally significant resource,” said Dowling in a press release. “Through this voluntary agreement, we commit to significant contributions toward lake health, while also ensuring future predictability in our water use allotment that supports sustainable production at our Ogden facility.”
This type of voluntary agreement was incentivized during the 2024 legislative session. House Bill 453 made changes to the way mineral extraction contracts were negotiated, factoring in the current decline of the Great Salt Lake and allocating resources back into lake conservation efforts.
Author: Nick Stein
Photographer: Anna Mower
Editor: Anna Mower
outdoors@suunews.net
