How much salt is in Great Salt Lake, and why does the salinity vary?
The total amount of salt dissolved in Great Salt Lake is about 4.5 to 4.9 billion tons. As the lake rises, its salinity drops because the same amount of salt is dissolved in more water. The lower the lake level, the saltier the lake becomes. In historical time, the lake’s salinity has ranged from a little less than 5 percent, (just above that of sea water), to nearly 27 percent (beyond which water cannot hold more salt).
