Cleaning up Utah Lake

We live near some approachable shoreline on Utah Lake. A creek (a farmer's canal, maybe?) runs into the lake at this particular point. I think it's beautiful and although it isn't kept up at all, it has a great deal of potential. Though right now the only activity it sees are booze parties and the occasional fisherman. Ever since we first went down there to explore a little, I've been brainstorming a big community trash clean-up. I have some ideas of how I want it to work, just not sure of how to go about making it happen. But in order to document some of the larger pieces of trash and to practice what I preach, I dragged Nate and Bridger (in the backpack carrier) down there one rainy Saturday.

The area we focused on opens up into this beautiful delta area.

Utah Lake is super shallow. We walked out for probably 50+ yards and it was no deeper than our calves. The deepest point is 14 feet.

The biggest problem is larger items such as tires and pallets and other unrecognizable odds and ends. Utah doesn't have a convenient method of disposing of tires so it's common for them to be dumped in places like this. While brainstorming a big clean-up, I've had trouble finding a free tire disposal method. Let me know if you have any ideas!

There were also places where people had dumped excess concrete, carpet and green waste. 

 We left with two bulging garbage bags.

I wrote this post in hopes that this effort gains a little momentum (and I'm hoping it makes Leslie Knope proud! ;). I really and truly believe Utah Lake is a great asset. It's one of the few natural, freshwater lakes in Utah. It has been abused and yes, it is dirty. In the past, it has been a dumping ground for industry waste. But we know better now. Those industries are regulated. The carp is a problem but the Utah Lake Commission has made some headway. I think if more people came to appreciate the lake, more people would care about cleaning it up. I can see a really cool, protected nature trail in this particular spot. Maybe even a pier for fisherman and a landing for kayakers and canoes.

If you are interested in working on a big community clean up, please let me know. Or if you just want to take a walk and pick up trash along the way! I have contacted the Utah Lake Commission and they are starting an adopt-the-shoreline problem in hopes of getting people involved in keeping it clean. So we'll see what happens with that effort.