Scientists map a giant freshwater lake under Utah’s Great Salt Lake and upend expectations for the basin

It spans kilometers beneath hypersaline waters

A new study using airborne electromagnetics and satellite imagery reveals a vast underground freshwater system extending kilometers beneath Utah’s Great Salt Lake. The discovery challenges the belief that the basin’s extreme salinity dominates underground conditions. Researchers say the hidden water could reshape approaches to managing exposed sediment and related air pollution, but experts warn against careless pumping that could trigger unintended environmental effects.