Antelope Island Causeway

Cracked and spongy shoreline of Great Salt Lake, along the edge of the causeway to Antelope Island. The salinity of Great Salt Lake varies between 5% and 27%, higher than that of the Dead Sea, and considerably higher than the average of the world’s oceans at 3.5%. The waters of Great Salt Lake have no outlet, and since it is very shallow, there is considerable evaporation, leaving behind the salts that are brought to it by the tributary rivers. The lake and its shores contain oolitic sand; small, rounded, or spherical grains of sand made up of a nucleus and concentric layers of calcium carbonate (lime), that look similar to very small pearls. Only brine flies, brine shrimp, and algae can live in the highly salty waters of the lake, but it is also home to thousands of waterbirds and shore birds that feed on the brine flies. It is also a major stop for migrating birds in spring and fall.

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