The purpose of this excursion onto the lake is to find out the levels of phosphorus in the water by taking three different water samples and comparing that data with other samples that have been taken.

In the research so far, they've found higher phosphorus content around the edges of the lake but relatively little change in the levels over time. By comparing the data they find, researchers will come closer to determining what the level of phosphorus should be in the lake.

"The intent of the research isn't to say who is right and who is wrong," Myers said. "It's to find out what is right and what is wrong."

After launching into the water the hovercraft swiftly made its way through the marshes of the wetlands before coming to a halt in the murky brown water of the Great Salt Lake. Barnes marked the hovercraft's coordinates on a container prepared for the water sample. This way researchers can track which areas on the lake have higher mineral content.

Driving across the lake the hovercraft passed large fields of algae blooms stretching for miles across the lake. There is so much algae in Farmington Bay that the water currently looks green if seen from the air. The north end of the lake, in comparison, looks fairly pink in when viewed from the same position. Both those colors contrasts sharply with the blue tint the lake probably had before the Salt Lake Valley was settled.

One reason the lake has such a problem with higher nutrient content is the lack of any outlets to take water away from the lake, Barnes said. That means any pollutants coming into the lake stay there since the only way for water to leave is through evaporation. Once the water evaporates, only the chemicals and nutrients are left.

"Everything that comes in that's toxic stays here," he said.

These studies being conducted by the Central Davis Sewer District are intended to determine what level to set for discharge for phosphorus, nitrogen, selenium and other nutrients to both protect the environment and keep the cost of cleanup relatively low for the public.

"The lake needs to be protected at the most advantageous price tag," Myers said.

If the sewer district is required to release cleaner water into the lake by removing more nutrients, it will end up costing residents more money on their sewage bills each month.

"We can err to the side of conservatism, but it's going to cost homeowners $5, $10, $50 a month," he said. "If we err on the other side of the coin, you'll have birds out here who can't hatch eggs . . . We don't want to shortchange the people or the environment."