RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif. – July 9, 2026 –In an important step forward for drought response and conservation technology, Ducks Unlimited (DU) has launched the first tool of its kind to track real-time changes at the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding wetlands.
The new GSL Drought Tracker App leverages cutting-edge modeling and interactive mapping to give users an unprecedented look at how water conditions are shifting across the landscape, turning complex data into a powerful, visual resource for decision-makers and the public alike.
The tool is part of DU’s broader, science-driven approach to conservation in the Great Salt Lake Basin, where DU works in close partnership with state agencies, non-governmental organizations, private landowners, and other nonprofits to sustain wetland habitats, improve water management, and benefit waterfowl, wildlife, and people who depend on this vital ecosystem.
Built with newly developed models, the app significantly improves the ability to measure extremely shallow water and hypersaline salt ponds, areas that have historically been difficult to track. Users can use the map to analyze changes in surface-water acreage across their chosen timeframes, making the platform highly flexible for both localized and regional analysis.
"This new tool will help us closely track shallow water across the Great Salt Lake shoreline's large wetland areas,” said Keith Hambrecht, restoration program manager for the Utah Department of Forestry, Fire and State Lands. “This tracking will allow us to execute wetland vegetation management treatments more precisely to maximize habitat and ecosystem functions. This is crucial during drought periods."
The tool is already populated with data through April, with updates planned every two weeks as drought conditions evolve. This consistent cadence reflects DU’s focus, through its Great Salt Lake Initiative, on delivering timely, science-based information that supports collaborative conservation and helps partners respond to rapidly changing water conditions across the basin.
“This tool is vital for prioritizing water resilience projects and utilizing our resources most effectively to deliver water to Great Salt Lake in a way that benefits everyone and everything involved,” said Marisa Weinberg, coordinator for Great Salt Lake Sentinel Landscape.
The development of this tool was made possible by generous contributions from the Utah Department of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, the Cumming Foundation and Great Salt Lake Alliance.
The GSL Drought Tracker is now available for use at ducks.org.
Please visit the new DU Media Toolkit page for essential resources about Ducks Unlimited’s conservation mission.
Media Contact
Molly Jarone
Regional Communications Coordinator
Western United States Region
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing wetlands, grasslands and other waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has restored or protected more than 20 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science, DU’s projects benefit waterfowl, wildlife and people in all 50 states. Learn more at www.ducks.org.
