BYU Professor of Geology, Greg Carling, and his team are investigating possible groundwater contamination in the Great Salt Lake, a crucial ecosystem that supports thousands of migratory birds.
"The Great Salt Lake is the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere, and preserving it should be a top priority," Carling said. Beyond being a buffet of shrimp for traveling birds, the lake also serves as a natural collection point for elements from the surrounding region.
According to Carling, several million people live in the area that drains into the lake. As water evaporates, it leaves behind a mixture of helpful and harmful elements. “This is a really important habitat, but there’s also issues with some contamination. … We have to try to figure out how to keep this ecosystem clean and safe for all the wildlife that uses it,” he said.
Recent studies show that groundwater contributes 10-15% of the lake’s inflow – more than previously thought. Carling and a team of BYU students are now examining whether groundwater from nearby mines is delivering excess selenium, a mineral that, in small amounts, benefits wildlife but can cause brittle eggs and reproductive problems when levels are too high.
Using a thermal drone, the team identifies cool groundwater seeps against the warmer surface. Once a seep is found, they pump out water samples to measure concentrations of cations, anions, and isotopes, elements such as calcium, sodium, potassium, iron, chloride, sulfate, and phosphate to check for unusual levels.
“I love to be able to study things that are just in our backyard,” Carling said, “It's this amazing kind of otherworldly landscape, and we need to understand everything we can about the ecosystem in order to protect it.”
For master’s student Megan Flexhaug, it was her first chance to go out and help gather the samples. “This is such a beautiful area and such an amazing creation that we have,” Flexhaug said. “Why wouldn’t we take care of it? Why wouldn’t we want to make sure that it’s as clean and healthy as it can be?”
“If there is selenium here and if it is affecting migratory birds, that's something that we're responsible for,” Flexhaug added. “And we need to help clean up.”
