Utah committee backs draft bill letting state raise Great Salt Lake causeway berm temporarily

Representative Jill Colfer, sponsor of draft Great Salt Lake amendments, told the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Interim Committee on Aug. 20 that the bill “allows the berm to be raised at, to 41 92 feet when needed” to prevent dangerous salinity spikes in Gilbert Bay. The committee voted to support the draft legislation after public comment and discussion; Representative Snyder moved the motion to support the draft legislation and the motion carried with one recorded no vote.

The bill as presented would give the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands more explicit authority to use the adaptive-management berm on the Union Pacific causeway to balance salinity and water-level objectives. Representative Colfer said the measure does not mandate raising the berm but would permit the division to raise it if necessary to protect brine shrimp and brine-fly habitat. She told the committee the draft also would require a plan…