Sky View of a Blood Red Lake

Six Word Photo Story: Freestyle

The water seems full of blood.

The Great Salt Lake is divided— half green, half red. Split by a railroad causeway.

The lake's unique pink coloring is due to halophiles — extreme salt-loving microorganisms — and pink-orange algae that live on the northern side of the lake. Green and blue-green algae paint the southern side.

Fish cannot live in this harsh, salty environment, but it is a God-send for other life. Brine shrimp thrive in its saline waters — a boon for Utah’s economy as the creature is farmed and shipped across the U.S. And migrating birds seek sustenance at its shoreline.

It’s the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River and the largest saline lake in the Western Hemisphere.

Experts say it’s in trouble.

The lake is drying, becoming increasingly salty, threatening even those organisms that thrive in extreme conditions. What comes next?

From the sky, I ponder its future.

Thanks to Mary Chang Story Writer, who created the Six Word Story Photo Challenge.

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