# Mountain West

Type: region

Source: Climate Intelligence Brief — https://getclimatebrief.com/entity/mountain-west
Canonical HTML page: https://getclimatebrief.com/entity/mountain-west

## Timeline

- **2026**: Conservation Mandates — New state-level water conservation targets and agricultural efficiency programs take full effect.
- **2023**: Policy Shift — Utah appoints its first Great Salt Lake Commissioner to oversee emergency conservation efforts.
- **2022**: Historic Low — Great Salt Lake hits its lowest recorded level since measurements began in 1847.
- **2000**: Megadrought — The American West enters the driest 22-year period in at least 1,200 years.
- **1986**: Record Highs — Great Salt Lake reaches historic high levels, prompting the installation of massive pumps.

## Recent coverage (1 stories)

### Vanishing Waters: The Ecological and Economic Crisis of Mountain West Salt Lakes
2026-03-19 01:18:13 · Sentiment: Neutral · Impact: 5/10 · Sources: 2

Shrinking saline lakes in the Mountain West are creating a multi-dimensional crisis involving toxic dust, lost biodiversity, and economic disruption. As climate change and water diversion push these terminal ecosystems to a breaking point, policymakers face an existential challenge in balancing agricultural needs with regional habitability.
Full story: https://getclimatebrief.com/story/mountain-west-salt-lakes-crisis-analysis

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