The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is continuing its commitment to replenish the Great Salt Lake by participating in a collaborative effort to release 10,000 acre-feet or 3.26 billion gallons of water from Utah Lake to the struggling landmark.
The water, according to a Wednesday release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, will flow from Utah Lake, through the Jordan River and to the Great Salt Lake’s Farmington and Gilbert bays.
It comes from leases by the Church and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District through a collaboration that also involves the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. Co-managing the trust are also the National Audubon Society and the Nature Conservancy.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recognizes we all have a role to play in caring for our natural environment here in Utah, including the Great Salt Lake,” said Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.
“This water lease is one of several projects underway that we hope reflects our commitment to wise stewardship.”
In 2023, the Church of Jesus Christ made the largest single water donation in the history of Utah, donating more than 20,000 acre-feet of water to be delivered annually on a perpetual basis to the Great Salt Lake, according to the Wednesday release.
Now, in addition to its current participation in the joint water release effort, the church is providing a long-term lease of between 4,000-7,433 acre-feet of water each year.
“Continued drought and declining water levels in the Great Salt Lake have brought more attention to the crucial, ongoing challenges facing the lake,” the Wednesday release further states. “This water delivery is another step in achieving the goals shared by all involved organizations.”