Utah's Great Salt Lake drops to lowest level ever recorded

The USGS said Saturday it was about an inch below the previous record.

The southern portion of the Great Salt Lake in Utah has dropped to its lowest level ever, the U.S Geological Survey said Saturday. Lake levels have been declining for some time, but the record-breaking drought hitting the West has accelerated its fall in recent months. Average daily water levels dropped about an inch below the previous record of 4,194 feet, set in 1963, with records dating back to 1847. A series of images released by Utah's Division of Water Resources showed the clear contrast between what the Great Salt Lake -- the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere -- looked like at its highest and average levels versus the new record low The drought numbers in Utah this year illustrate how dire the situation is there. The latest U.S Drought Monitor report released on Thursday shows nearly 100% of the state is experiencing extreme drought conditions -- level 3 out of 4.