The Vibrant Colors Of This Lake In Utah Are A Sight To See
Utah’s Great Salt Lake is iconic, and one of the things most out-of-staters recognize about the Beehive State. It provides habitat for millions of birds, is the site of some rich history and beautiful landscape art, and can take your breath away with its vast beauty.
The lake can also provide pleasant surprises sometimes. Here’s a side of the lake you may not have seen — its waters are actually separated into two distinctly different (but equally vibrant) colors.
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When you think of the Great Salt Lake, you probably picture a pretty sunset from Antelope Island...
You probably know that the Great Salt Lake, which covers 1,700 square miles, is the largest salt water lake in the Western hemisphere, and that it can be seen from space.
From high above, the lake looks very different than you might think. You can see a distinct line where the Lucin Cutoff cuts through the lake. This 103-mile rail line was originally built on a trestle, but it was replaced by a causeway in the 1950s, which changed the salt content of the lake on one side.
Algae grows in both portions of the lake, but the difference in salt concentrations means that different kinds of algae are present in each side. On the lake south of the causeway, cyanobacteria creates the blue-green tones; on the north side of the causeway, an algae called Dunaliella salina grows, and it creates the rich red colors you see here.
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
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