To protect the best interests of all parties involved, people need to understand the needs of the lake and also the needs of the people who live upstream, said Lynn de Freitas, executive director for Friends of Great Salt Lake, a local group working to preserve and protect the ecosystem of the Great Salt Lake.

De Freitas said the lake is surrounded by people who are often disinterested in the welfare of the lake. Educating them about the impact they have on the condition of the lake is vital for the survival of the lake and the wetlands.

"We have a very precious resource in our back yard," she said.

Despite all the efforts being made by scientists and government agencies to study the lake, current research is only scratching the surface of understanding the lake.

"There's a whole lot we don't know," she said. "There's a whole lot we're learning."

Myers agreed that more effort is needed to understand the effects people have on the lake and the surrounding ecosystem. He also wants to educate the public about the problems affecting the lake and bring more light to the issue through the research.

"What we want to do is make people think, maybe worry a little," he said.

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E-mail: mwitte@desnews.com