There are several ways to experience the beauty of Utah Lake. For Sonja and Dale Despain, they're comfortable soaking in the views from their car seat, while
passing on their passion for adventure.
“We’ve got kids who still use the lake… waterskiing and stuff like that,” said Sonja.
The Despains also own a nearby ranch, with some of their property involved in the recent Provo River Delta project.
“They decided to reroute the river… and they bought that from us,” Dale said.
So the Despains have seen the lakes' ebbs and flows through time. And while this winter has been looked down upon in some ways, the Utah Lake Authority says it’s been a boon to them so far.
“The water level is actually high right now… because we’ve already had a lot of rain and we’ve had a lot of runoff,” shared Utah Lake Authority Executive Director Luke Peterson.
But ominous warm weather is already on the way.
How early warm-up could make Utah's water woes even worse:
“While we are concerned about harmful algal blooms as a health challenge, they’re just a part of reality," added Peterson.
So with that reality on the horizon, just how can tourism be promoted at the popular spot for so many different activities?
On top of the efforts from last year's "Utah Lake is My Lake" campaign, officials are being backed by Utah’s congressional delegation to the tune of $7.7 million in federal grants. Peterson pointed to the fact that since the campaign's launch, the lake saw a 12% boost in tourism last year. They’re hoping to build on that with the congressional grants, which could solve some of the warmer weather issues.
“We have $1.2 million to kill carp… one of our favorite activities," joked Peterson. “If we can get the carp population low enough, we’ll see the water quality improve. We’ll see the water clarity improve.”
Residents hope this latest attempt will succeed.
“It certainly makes the lake more attractive," said Sonja Despain, "to have it nice and clean.”
But with the low snowpack, officials say it will also take a collective conservation effort to keep water levels healthy and algal blooms away.
“The question is just how much water are we gonna consume? If people conserve, then Utah Lake and the Great Salt Lake should be OK at the end of this summer," explained Peterson. "We have to make the decision now that this is a priority for us.”
