07-29-2023, 08:10 AM
Kayaking on the Bonneville Salt Flats?
TOOELE COUNTY, Utah ([b]ABC4) — The canals near the Bonneville Salt Flats, which first went viral on social media in 2020, have resurfaced yet again as pictures and videos show kayakers and paddle boarders recreating on bright blue waters in the vast desert region. But is there any truth in it?
These canals, which were recently highlighted in multiple online articles and have reportedly been drained since they went viral, were a result of wastewater from nearby facilities owned by mining company Intrepid Potash.[/b]
As stunning as these waters may look from afar, local officials warned travelers not to recreate on the canals.
According to a statement made by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM): “The canals are industrial facilities leased to Intrepid Potash for potash mining activities and are not designed or safe for public recreation. Therefore, the public should not access, swim, float, kayak, canoe, or pursue any other recreation activities in these industrial canals.”
Along with that, the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) has made it clear that parking along I-80 to access the canals is illegal and extremely dangerous due to the proximity to the interstate highway.
In 2022 and earlier this year, excessive amounts of rain and runoff closed the Salt Flats area to motorists looking to explore its salt-laden landscape. These wet conditions were enough to cancel the annual Speed Week last year, which typically brings visitors from around the world to the Bonneville Salt Flats every August to participate in racing events.
TOOELE COUNTY, Utah ([b]ABC4) — The canals near the Bonneville Salt Flats, which first went viral on social media in 2020, have resurfaced yet again as pictures and videos show kayakers and paddle boarders recreating on bright blue waters in the vast desert region. But is there any truth in it?
These canals, which were recently highlighted in multiple online articles and have reportedly been drained since they went viral, were a result of wastewater from nearby facilities owned by mining company Intrepid Potash.[/b]
As stunning as these waters may look from afar, local officials warned travelers not to recreate on the canals.
According to a statement made by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM): “The canals are industrial facilities leased to Intrepid Potash for potash mining activities and are not designed or safe for public recreation. Therefore, the public should not access, swim, float, kayak, canoe, or pursue any other recreation activities in these industrial canals.”
Along with that, the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) has made it clear that parking along I-80 to access the canals is illegal and extremely dangerous due to the proximity to the interstate highway.
In 2022 and earlier this year, excessive amounts of rain and runoff closed the Salt Flats area to motorists looking to explore its salt-laden landscape. These wet conditions were enough to cancel the annual Speed Week last year, which typically brings visitors from around the world to the Bonneville Salt Flats every August to participate in racing events.
