In the early days of 2023, a group of researchers and activists published a report with a shocking conclusion: Utah’s Great Salt Lake was losing water so fast that it was on track to effectively disappear within five years. Since the report was issued, the Great Salt Lake’s water loss not only slowed, but its water level actually increased. In June 2024, the lake’s two sides — which are divided by an embankment — were three feet higher than they had been two years prior. 

So what happened here? At first blush, the story appears to be an example of science gone wrong — an exaggerated claim of imminent danger, founded on flawed assumptions and questionable processes, that damaged the public’s trust in the scientific community and its receptiveness to future warnings. But could it actually be a story of the power of concerted action, or poor science communication in the media? 

Drawing on interviews with the lead authors on the 2023 “five-year” report, Utah’s Great Salt Lake commissioner, a former member of Utah's Air Quality Board and an expert on the lake’s atmospheric effects, we’ll explore the uncertain future of the Great Salt Lake — the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and a critical resource for the health and aspirations of millions of people. 

Tangle LIVE tickets are available!

• We’re excited to announce that our third installment of Tangle Live will be held on October 24, 2025, at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, California. If you’re in the area (or want to make the trip), we’d love to have you join Isaac and the team for a night of spirited discussion, live Q&A, and opportunities to meet the team in person. You can read more about the event and purchase tickets here.

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Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.

This podcast was written by: Isaac Saul and edited and engineered by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.

Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Kendall White, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. 

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