The culprit, experts generally agree, is man. Geologists studying the phenomenon say the salt is vanishing at the rate of about 1% a year and that the flats could be gone within decades. The last time this type of research was done was in 2003.Since 1926, when surveyors first mapped the area, the flats have shrunk from 96,000 acres to an estimated 25,000 acres today, according to the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management. The conditions are slightly different, the salt is slightly different, the surface is different it’s actually a lake for much of the year.” "In fact, you know, I’ve been out there so many times-dozens and dozens of times-and every time it’s a little bit different. It is ephemeral so it changes all the time," Bowen said. Although this area may just look like a salty, dry dessert, it’s full of life and transformation. "And so what we’re trying to understand is how is it changing through time, through space, how are these different uses impacting it, how are just background environmental changes impacting it? We know that salt in the geologic record is ephemeral and short lived-how long should we expect it to exist on this surface right now given these conditions."īowen says that part of the longer term work is learning the impacts of global warming. “Everybody sort of has their own reason why they value this environment," Bowen said. Potash has a lot potassium and is sold as a fertilizer. The flats also offer a unique recreational area.īrenda Bowen, geology professor at the University of Utah wants to study what all of this activity is doing to the area-specifically the thickness of the salt. The texture and thickness of the salt is perfect for going fast-really fast.īut beyond just the racing, the area has one of the largest potash mines. The Bonneville Salt Flats have attracted racers who want to break a land speed record for years. Scientists from the University of Utah will be studying the Salt Flats in Utah for the next two years.
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