SALT LAKE CITY — Did you see it?
Past the growing Salt Lake City skyline, a plume of dust lifted above the Great Salt Lake and traveled into the air Saturday, leaving some people on social media concerned, yet again, about the nearly 800 miles of exposed lakebed.
"The dust storms produce particulate matter and basically particles in the atmosphere, and when you breathe those particles, some of those remain in your lungs," said Kevin Perry, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Utah. "The people who are most impacted by breathing these particles are the elderly, children, people with preexisting conditions like asthma."
Perry said he first noticed dust plumes coming off the Great Salt Lake 13 years ago. He noticed the first severe one — one that would impact horizontal visibility — seven years ago.
"These big events like we had yesterday seem to happen about 10 to 15 times a year, but what we don't yet have a good measure of are smaller dust events," Perry said.
The lake did rise a few feet this year, but Perry says 90% of the dust hot spots are still exposed.
"In addition to the particles coming off the lake, we know there are high concentrations of arsenic in the dust," Perry said. "What we don't have proof yet is whether or not the arsenic is actually being delivered to the surrounding communities."
Perry is hopeful that future studies and research will bring answers to that important concern.
"We're working with the Division of Environmental Quality to set up monitors in places that will capture the dust better so that we can determine whether or not arsenic and other metals are posing an actual threat to people that live along the Wasatch Front," Perry said.
