We live in an agricultural death zone
A post-growth approach for ensuring farmer and lake livelihoods in the Great Salt Lake Basin
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7515022 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bryn Watkins (University of Georgia, corresponding author), Stacia S Ryder (0000-0001-5282-0316), Stacia Ryder (Utah State University), Roslynn McCann (0000-0003-0751-3362, Utah State University), Jennifer Jo Thompson (0000-0003-1785-9877) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 124 |
| Pages | 104137 |
| Publication date | 2026-05-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Rural Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0743-0167 • E-ISSN: 1873-1392 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2026.104137 |
| OpenAlex | W7135022223 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 50 |
Since their peak in 1986, water levels in Great Salt Lake have steadily declined due to human consumptive overuse combined with increased evapotranspiration from rising temperatures associated with anthropogenic climate change. Agricultural activities, accounting for 67% of total water withdrawals, are central to any solutions aimed at restoring the lake. However, proposed solutions are often generated outside of agricultural circles, resulting in a lack of farmer perspective, input, and buy in. This study is the first to use qualitative interviews with Great Salt Lake Basin farmers to explore their perspectives on transitioning their operations to lower water consumption. Findings reveal that while farmers' disproportionate water usage may imply a primary responsibility for Great Salt Lake's recovery, they see economic and developmental pressures as severely constraining their environmentally conscious choices and also putting undue pressure on the lake. These insights suggest that beyond changes in agricultural practices, success in restoring Great Salt Lake water levels will also depend in part on the state's ability to shift toward a post-growth paradigm that supports both ecological sustainability and farmer autonomy, as opposed to unfettered urbanization.
Agriculture · Livelihood · Salt lake · Salt water · Structural basin · Aquatic Ecosystems and Biodiversity · Ecology and biodiversity studies · Water Resources and Governance
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| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |