Plant Grass, Save the Great Salt Lake and Utah’s Industries!
Plant Grass, Save the Great Salt Lake and Utah’s Industries!
Utahns, want to keep the Great Salt Lake thriving and protect the industries that fuel our economy? The answer is simple: plant more grass and plants! In our dry state, where the lake has lost 15 billion cubic yards of water, grass is a superhero for bringing rain, refilling the lake, and saving businesses like mineral companies, brine shrimp harvesters, ski resorts, and farms. By covering bare ground and swapping xeriscaping for Flowscaping, we can boost snowfall, clean the air, and keep Utah’s $1.9 billion lake economy strong. Let’s dive into how grass works its magic and how you can help!
Grass Brings Rain and Snow
Grass is a water-pumping champion! Through evapotranspiration (ET), it pulls water from the soil and sends it to the sky as vapor, fueling rain and snow. Grass pumps 3-5 mm daily—way more than gravel or sparse plants. For 600,000 acres, that’s 324,000-540,000 acre-feet of vapor yearly, creating 40% of Utah’s precipitation. This adds 7-25% more rain and snow (up to 3 inches, or 10-30 inches in the mountains) by 2075, refilling the Great Salt Lake with 129,600-216,000 acre-feet a year.
Grass also cools the air by 3-15°F, helping clouds form over Utah, not drifting away. Gravel heats things up 5-10°F, stealing moisture. More grass means more snow for ski resorts like Snowbird and more water for the lake!
Cleaning the Air, Saving the Lake
Through photosynthesis, grass soaks up carbon dioxide (CO₂), storing 702,000 tons a year across 600,000 acres. This fights global warming, which dries out the lake faster. A cooler climate keeps the lake’s water in place, with the right salinity (13-15%) for brine shrimp and minerals. Plus, grass cuts dust storms from the lake’s exposed bed—40% of our air pollution—making the air cleaner for tourists and farmers.
Fast Water, Big Wins
Grass works fast, cycling water back to the sky in 24-48 hours, ready to become rain or snow in 7-8 days. Compare that to the Great Salt Lake, where water sits for 5-10 years, or aquifers, locked away for 50-1,000 years. Grass keeps water moving, adding 129,600-216,000 acre-feet to the lake’s tributaries, unlike gravel’s slow or no cycling. This saves 42,000-84,000 acre-feet of lost precipitation yearly!
Helping Great Salt Lake Industries
The Great Salt Lake powers a $1.9 billion economy, and grass protects it:
Mineral Companies: More water keeps lake levels high for Compass Minerals and US Magnesium to extract fertilizer and magnesium, saving $1-2 million in costs.
Brine Shrimp Harvesters: Extra inflows lower salinity, boosting shrimp eggs for the Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, adding $10-15 million yearly.
Ski Resorts: 10-30 inches more snow extends seasons at Alta and Park City by 2-4 weeks, growing their $1.2 billion industry by $50-100 million.
Farmers: More rain (0.9-3 inches) saves 70,000-140,000 acre-feet of irrigation water, letting more flow to the lake for Cache Valley farms.
Fixing Xeriscaping’s Damage
Since 1981, xeriscaping’s gravel and low-water plants cut our rain by 1-3% a year, costing 5-17 inches by 2025. That’s less water for the lake, hurting every industry. Flowscaping with grass brings back 7-25% more precipitation, refilling the lake and keeping businesses strong.
Your Turn to Help
Ready to protect the Great Salt Lake and its industries? Here’s how:
Plant Grass: Fill your yard with grass like Kentucky bluegrass to pump water and grow snow.
Cover Bare Ground: Plant grass or flowers on every dirt patch to keep water cycling.
Ditch Xeriscaping: Swap gravel for lush Flowscaping to cool Utah and save the lake.
Spread the Word: Tell friends or join lake advocacy groups to green our state!
Let’s Save the Lake Together!
Every blade of grass you plant helps the Great Salt Lake and Utah’s economy! Grass pumps water (3-5 mm/day), cools the air (3-15°F), and grows 7-25% more rain and snow, keeping the lake full for minerals, shrimp, skiing, and farms. Let’s undo xeriscaping’s damage, cover bare ground, and Flowscape Utah for a thriving lake and booming industries. Grab some grass, plant it, and let’s make it rain! Plant Grass, Save the Great Salt Lake and Utah’s Industries!🌱💧
Join the Flowscaping movement to save the Great Salt Lake!
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