SALT LAKE CITY -- Dave Ghizzone may lose his business because of something entirely out of his control. His problem is not the fickle inclinations of customers or a tough economy, but low water in a marina.
The Great Salt Lake Marina is getting so low, his dinner cruises may soon have no way to cruise out of the harbor.
“If things don’t change, we may be out of business by October,” Ghizzone said.
The Great Salt Lake is nearing its historic low, which was set in 1961 when the lake level sat at 4,191.35 feet above sea level. In 2015, it’s at 4,194 and almost certain to fall as the snowpack for all of the lakes tributaries are well below normal levels.
Ghizzone and some of his friends tried to persuade state lawmakers to pay to dredge the harbor, as the marina is a state park. But the appropriations committee turned them down.
Tiffany Jackson is worried about getting search and rescue boats out of the harbor. She’s the commodore of the yacht club and a volunteer for search and rescue.
“With water levels the way that they are, there are literally boats stuck in the mud," Jackson said. "They can’t move from their slips, they can’t get out on the water."
