This year, the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air worked to share a broader picture of land, water, and air in Utah, which included efforts to track and share news and media. We’ve included a 2023 summary page at the end of each chapter, and here are some of our most-viewed stories from each week:
January 9
New renewable energy project in Utah to benefit the entire world. (Utah Stories)
January 17
Multiple legal battles and concerns about the ecological impact surround the proposed Utah Lake islands. (The Salt Lake Tribune)
January 24
What do the data say about thinning trees to increase water supply? (Journal of Forestry)
January 31
Opinion: Chopping trees won’t save the Great Salt Lake—but it may cause larger problems. (Deseret News)
February 7
Opinion: The Great Salt Lake can be saved. This is how we do it. (Deseret News)
February 14
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Valentines. (UDWR)
February 21
How does a drying Great Salt Lake affect carbon cycling? (Phys.org)
February 28
Bear Lake is a well-loved Utah tourist gem. A state lawmaker wants to know if the lake is being loved to death. (The Salt Lake Tribune)
March 7
2023 Utah Legislative General Session natural resource bills passed. (USU ILWA)
March 14
Utah farmers gain more flexibility with water rights under proposed bill. (KSL News Radio)
March 21
State of Utah snow water equivalent chart (USDA.gov).
March 28
Utah Legislature gave $1 million to implement “roller felling” in some areas. (The Salt Lake Tribune)
April 4
Opinion: We need to love the Great Salt Lake to save it. (The New York Times)
April 12
Idaho legislature has taken initiative to preserve Bear Lake for future generations with a new protective bill. (Cache Valley Daily)
April 19
Officials from the Utah Department of Agriculture discussed their goals for the future and the state programs that can provide funding to farmers. (Herald Journal)
April 25
A bipartisan bill has been introduced to provide funding for farmers in drought-prone areas of the US West to implement water-saving technologies and practices. (The Hill)
May 2
Video: Cache Valley residents, along with Utah State students and professors, discuss land, water, and air concerns in the valley. (Aggie TV News)
May 9
Water in the Great Salt Lake spills over the emergency berm. (FOX 13)
May 16
Satellite photos show the Colorado River before and after the Bureau of Reclamation released a huge outflow of water from the Glen Canyon dam. (Newsweek)
May 24
Interactive: See how the Colorado River water is being used. (The New York Times)
May 31
California emerges as big winner in Colorado River water deal. (The Los Angeles Times)
June 7
Opinion: Speaker Wilson shares his perspectives on the relationship between Utah’s farmers and the state’s water needs. (Deseret News)
June 13
Opponents of a proposed mine in Parleys Canyon worry about air quality and potential health impacts. (The Salt Lake Tribune)
June 21
Video: 2022 was the dustiest year on record, with nearly 25% of that dust coming from the Great Salt Lake. (ABC 4)
June 27
Because of overuse of water and climate change, the Great Salt Lake is drying up—and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is taking on an unusually public role to help save it. (The Washington Post)
July 5
The Great Salt Lake commissioner intends to seek input from all stakeholders, including environmental and tribal groups, agriculture producers and industries. (FOX 13)
July 12
A quiet piece of legislation has made it so cities cannot make rules about the design elements of new housing developments. (St. George News)
July 18
A small group of experienced climbers in southern Utah found a burning wildfire and helped prevent a potential major disaster. (St. George News)
July 26
Tribal leaders request Biden create a new monument near Grand Canyon, to the dismay of some Southern Utah towns. (St. George News)
August 1
Above-average snowpack and strong spring rains have led to a rise in river deaths on Colorado’s waterways. (The Durango Herald)
August 8
Video: Satellite images captured the dramatic 43-foot rise of Lake Powell’s water level this summer. (ABC 4)
August 15
The Spiral Jetty rock art formation is a representation of the Great Salt Lake’s struggling ecosystem. (The Atlantic)
August 22
The severe drought conditions around Lake Mead have revealed the Latter-day Saint ghost town of St. Thomas. (Deseret News)
August 29
The BLM recently adapted its definition of non-motorized vehicles to allow e-bikes on more trails. (St. George News)
September 6
As summer turns to fall, southern Utah reservoir levels are expected to be lower. (St. George News)
September 12
A coalition of environmental organizations have filed suit against the state of Utah regarding the Great Salt Lake. (FOX 13)
September 21
The Colorado River isn’t just managed to accommodate people—endangered wildlife species are being considered as well. (8 News Las Vegas)
September 27
Utah clarifies the difference between e-bikes and e-motorcycles on public lands amid ‘confusion.’ (KSL.com)