Don Leonard

Don Leonard

Chairman and CEO

Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, Inc.

Bio:

Don Leonard works as Chairman and CEO of the Great Salt Lake Brine Shrimp Cooperative, Inc., a fully integrated cooperative that harvests, processes and markets Artemia cysts on behalf of its member companies. 

Don has also served as President of the Utah Artemia Association, the brine shrimp industry trade association, for twenty-four years.  During that time, he has been an advocate for the Great Salt Lake ecosystem through numerous boards, committees and activities. 

Don currently serves as chair of the State’s Great Salt Lake Advisory Council, and on the Division of Water Quality’s Nutrient Core Team, the Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands’ Great Salt Lake Technical Team, and on the Board of Friends of Antelope Island.

Title: Water for Great Salt Lake – Strategies to Maintain or Increase the Surface Elevation 

Thursday, May 10th, 10:30 AM

Abstract: Great Salt Lake (GSL or lake) water levels are in a long-term decline. The Great Salt Lake Advisory Council (GSLAC or Council) commissioned a report to compile possible strategies to preserve or provide water for GSL. 

The strategies include submissions from a wide range of individuals and organizations, including water suppliers, water users, conservation interests, state and local governments, industry and commercial interests, non-governmental organizations, and members of the general public. 

The report describes seventy-two (72) strategies with potential to maintain and/or increase the surface elevation of GSL. The strategies consist of coordination, environmental, legal, operational, policy and structural practices that, if implemented, could deliver greater quantities of water to GSL or conserve water within GSL itself.

Since its publication, the Council has used the report as a tool to inform the debate. GSLAC is also seeking to rank and prioritize the strategies to facilitate consensus and action.

This presentation will discuss lake elevation, the GSLAC report, possible strategies to address lake elevation, the Council’s role in this debate, and the on-going effort to address the long-term decline.