| Saline lakes in the Great Basin (like Great Salt Lake in Utah, Mono and Owens Lakes in California, and Lake Abert in Oregon) are some of the most vital and vulnerable ecosystems in North America, especially for birds. Yet these irreplaceable ecosystems face mounting challenges. As water availability declines due to climate change and increasing human demands, these habitats—and the wildlife that depends on them—are at risk. Very few, if any, ecosystems in the arid West can replicate the conditions saline lakes provide, underscoring the urgency of their protection.
Recognizing these challenges, the U.S. Geological Survey developed the Saline Lake Ecosystems Integrated Water Availability Assessment program. Aimed at informing and supporting coordinated management and conservation actions to benefit those ecosystems, migratory birds, and other wildlife, the program is an innovative effort that has the power to shape the future of saline lakes, and help to secure a stable future for the birds that depend on them. Read more. |
