Since 1986, the Great Salt Lake has dropped 22 feet. Twenty-two feet is only the height of a two-story building, a streetlight or a young Saguaro cactus. It’s not that impressive.

But the Great Salt Lake is a wide and shallow inland sea, fatally susceptible to evaporation.

In the time the lake levels dropped, the surface area decreased from 3,300 to 950 square miles, a reduction of 2,350 square miles.

The area lost is larger than the land area of the entire state of Delaware. Water diverted for human use from the Bear, Jordan and Weber Rivers is largely to blame.

The Great Salt Lake is at risk of disappearing in our lifetime.

The inland sea is highly productive, supporting billion-dollar industries like salt, brine shrimp and magnesium. Its wetlands host 10-12 million migratory birds, including American white pelicans, snowy plovers and eared grebes.

Additionally, lake effect snow contributes to the Wasatch Front’s relatively high precipitation levels, enabling Utah’s world-famous skiing and distinctive snow quality. Without the lake, the Salt Lake Valley risks becoming as dry and dusty as the West Desert.

The immense challenge of sustaining Great Salt Lake for current and future generations requires all of us to act. Conserving water in every capacity is vital, especially among the biggest water users who must lead by example.

I examined our campus water usage.

Public universities aren’t federally required to disclose their water usage. However, Savannah Jordaan and Alta Fairbourne, members of ASUU, asked the landscaping department for this information.

In 2024, the U used roughly 227 million gallons to irrigate campus landscaping and 808 million gallons in total — costing nearly $10 million. The good news is, since 2020, water usage has decreased by 14%.

However, we still consume over 800 million gallons annually.

Although $10 million seems expensive, it’s relatively cheap for the quantity.

Utah’s water conservancy districts manage water supply via dams and pipelines, funded largely by property taxes. This subsidizes water costs for all users, particularly tax-exempt institutions like the U. Consequently, the university benefits from taxpayer-funded water infrastructure but lacks significant financial incentives to reduce their own consumption.

A significant portion of the U’s water use goes to irrigating lawns and other landscaping features. Lawns require constant watering, especially during Utah’s scorching summers when temperatures can exceed 100°F.

Evaporation further exacerbates water demand, leaving grass thirsty for more precious watershed water.

America’s obsession with lawns stems from European heritage.

Lawns were brought to North America to mimic the estates of British royalty, symbolizing wealth and prestige. Eastern U.S. college campuses often feature lush green lawns sustained by abundant rainfall.

But the U isn’t in England or the East Coast — it’s in a desert.

At Arizona State University, their landscaping features drought-tolerant trees and succulents, mimicking the surrounding desert and providing ecological functionality. The U must adopt a similar approach.

The short answer to this problem is collaboration between students, landscaping and administration.

A survey by Jordaan and Fairbourne was filled out by 400 students, providing useful input for the U. Landscaping staff design and maintain sustainable spaces, while administrators must fund and support these initiatives. Without all parties working together, meaningful change is impossible.

That’s why Jordaan and Fairbourne passed a resolution supporting a phased initiative in the Landscape Master Plan to eliminate 100% of non-functional turf. Non-functional turf, as defined by Utah’s HB242 (2024), is ornamental grass with little to no recreational value.

The plan includes a campus-wide survey in Fall 2025, prioritizing the removal of underutilized lawn spaces. These areas would be replaced with native, drought-tolerant species.

Progress on water use, turf removal and sustainability goals would be reported annually, with funding secured through grants and water savings. The timeline spans 10-15 years, balancing urgency with feasibility.

Replacing non-functional turf isn’t just about saving water. It’s about creating a more vibrant and ecologically diverse campus. Native plants, adapted to Utah’s climate, maximize local weather patterns, reduce the urban heat island effect and provide habitat for pollinators like hummingbirds, butterflies and bees.

Lawns, in contrast, host few, if any, species.

The landscaping department, to their credit, has completed several sustainable landscaping projects on campus.

The Monarch butterfly migration corridor provides milkweed vital to caterpillars.

The Architecture Building’s Pollinator Garden supports ground-nesting bees. I’m particularly fond of the tall, prairie-like grasses like Blue Grama and Indian Ricegrass, which sway gracefully in the wind and bring a sense of peace to my day.

The U also boasts over 9,600 trees, cooling the environment and supporting biodiversity. Each of the 250 species can be explored through the U’s Tree Tour.

Landscaping is also actively improving. In partnership with Salt Lake City, they planted 1,300 native plants and are designing a bioswale near Central Campus Drive to manage stormwater and reduce flooding risks.

The U’s Climate Action Plan outlines strategies to reduce water consumption, expand natural areas and address ecosystem resilience.

However, the plan relies on outdated student surveys from 2013 and 2017, conducted before Great Salt Lake’s crisis reached its current severity.

As part of Utah’s state arboretum, the U should draw inspiration from its neighbor, Red Butte Garden.

Unlike the lawn-dominated campus, Red Butte features wildflowers, shrubs and native grasses that flourish often without excessive watering. A campus blossoming with native plants will attract prospective students and instill pride in the student body.

Landscaping is eager to implement drought-tolerant designs but needs administrative funding to succeed.

These projects require upfront investment but ultimately lower water bills which contributes to restoring Great Salt Lake. Landscaping also welcomes feedback. If students notice a problem with sprinklers or other issues, they should call 801-581-7221, a 24/7 emergency maintenance line.

They say the grass is always greener where you water it.

I say that the U must adopt that mindset, not by wasting water on non-native grass that gets neglected, but by focusing our attention on the amazing plants of Utah.

By shifting our focus to Utah’s native flora, the University of Utah can lead in sustainability, biodiversity and landscape resilience. Most importantly, by reducing our water consumption, we can work to heal the Great Salt Lake. With the rapid expansion of the Salt Lake Valley and the U, a healthy Great Salt Lake is non-negotiable.

Together, students and officials can mitigate environmental impacts and save this vital inland sea for future generations.

The Daily Utah Chronicle publishes guest op-eds written by faculty, elected officials and other members of the public on topics relevant to students at the University of Utah. The Chronicle welcomes guest op-ed pitches here.