What's behind the governor's changing rhetoric on Great Salt Lake?

I'm grateful for Governor Cox's leadership on Great Salt Lake. As a farmer, I think he has the understanding and credibility to spur the profound changes in agricultural water use that we need to ensure a vibrant future in northern Utah.

Examples from around the world show that when a saline lake dies, farming goes down with it. Agriculture accounts for the vast majority of humanity's water use, and when demand exceeds supply, farmers are the the first to feel it. We need to learn from the more than 100 saline lakes in decline from Lake Poopó in Bolivia to the Aral Sea in Uzbekistan. 

If we are serious about supporting Utah farmers, we have to reduce water demand to a sustainable level.

In early 2023, Governor Cox was publicly providing that leadership. He told Fox 13, "On my watch we are not allowing the lake to go dry. We will do whatever it takes to make sure that doesn’t happen." He doubled down on the topic in his State of State address, where he referenced our emergency report and committed Utah to pioneering a path to saline lake stewardship.

It was more than just talk. Under his leadership, the state made generational changes to water law and policy, including creating a mechanism for the lake to hold its own water rights. That let the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints give 20,000 acre-feet of water to the lake in perpetuity.

Things seem to have changed.

After the wettest winter on record and a temporary rebound of the lake level, Governor Cox's recent remarks have been markedly different. Starting in March of last year, he began to be defensive and critical of those describing the risk. He "governorsplained" (his term) an audience of environmental lawyers and scientists at the Stegner Symposium: Stop with all the doom and gloom. He had things under control.

On All Things Considered a few weeks ago, he excoriated our observation that the lake was on track to collapse within five years in 2022. "That prediction is laughable. It's a joke and everybody knows it's a joke. They were never serious about that...That's the 'doomerism' that is terrible for people."

Last week at the Spring Runoff Conference in Logan, he had a similar message. There is nothing to worry about. The state is spending a lot of money on the issue, and they have a plan. He'll take us out on the lake in five years for a picnic. Everything will be fine.

I hope he's right. However, the stakes are too high to stop at hope. We need to be looking at the risk with clear eyes. No one has figured out how to save a lake like this. Whole countries have failed, including nuclear powers, autocracies, and democracies. Utah's efforts have been preparatory so far, and as the Great Salt Lake Commissioner's strategic plan highlighted this winter, we still haven't saved enough water to make a measurable difference.

Is the change in rhetoric just a defensive pivot for the election year? Is it his sincere belief that there's nothing to worry about with the lake? 

I don't know, but I'm going to keep my focus on getting water flowing to our inland sea. Our health, economy, and ecosystem depend on a healthy lake. I used to get mad at politicians for not providing the leadership we needed, but I don't anymore. They are the followers, and they look to we the people for leadership.

Join the movement to help Grow the Flow.