![]() "But as we’ve seen increased visitation, we’ve seen a lot of that kind of activity." "We’re not out here trying to come down on people who are out here with their families, or out here to enjoy the area," said Coombs. State lands officials recently confronted a couple who had driven out onto the Spiral Jetty itself to take photos (which is also illegal). There are also signs that vehicles have driven out onto the dry lake bed and gotten stuck. Right now, the lake is the most full it will probably be all year. The Utah Geological Survey's Milligan said the Great Salt Lake itself has shrunk by 11-feet already as a result of development along the Wasatch Front and the drought. "Given the drought those holes just kind of stay there and create a hazard and visual impact," Coombs said. People have dug pits to find bigger and bigger crystals. It is illegal to remove the crystals from the lake bed, but there was evidence of it happening all over. "Which Forestry, Fire & State Lands isn’t excited about." "You get crystal growth in the mud and people have discovered that and have come out to look for them and hunt for them," Milligan said. Nearby is another natural phenomenon - crystals created from the salty lake bed. Westminster College has set up cameras on the tar to monitor its progress as part of a research study. I would be very careful with small children because it gets everywhere and it’s really hard to remove." "It gets stuck on your clothes, your shoes. "There’s been dogs unfortunately that have been stuck in here and it’s tough to get them out," said Milligan. When FOX 13 visited the site, the remains of pelicans were trapped in the tar. But animals are also getting stuck in it now that the water has receded and it can't be dispersed. ![]() ![]() They have to explain it's naturally occurring. Occasionally, Utah's Department of Natural Resources will get a phone call from someone reporting an "oil spill" at the Great Salt Lake. With lake being low, it’s dispersed in these areas," said Mark Milligan with the Utah Geological Survey, taking a shovel and sticking it into oozing black tar that is spreading out. So it just flows out on the surface and disperses. "It’s kind of akin to the La Brea Tar Pits but there’s no pit. Near the jetty is the remains of an old oil rig from a long-abandoned project. There's naturally-occuring tar that is bubbling up from the lake bed. The waters of the Great Salt Lake receding around the Spiral Jetty are creating some issues of their own for Utah's Department of Natural Resources, which helps manage the site. "Early last year, as many as a hundred cars an hour," he said in an interview Friday with FOX 13. ![]() Matthew Coombs, the Sovereign Lands Coordinator for Utah's Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands said it used to be you maybe saw one or two cars out at the Spiral Jetty in a day. "It’s not what I would have thought when I think of sculpture," said Sharon Matt.Īdded Ed: "It’s great to be able to go out there, touch, get on, move around a piece of art like that." Sharon and Ed Matt took a trip to the site on a Friday afternoon to walk out on the art piece and beyond to the water line of the Great Salt Lake. To get there, you have to drive a couple of hours north of Salt Lake City and some distance on a rough dirt road. In the past, the artwork has been covered by the Great Salt Lake and when the water recedes it creates a scenic landscape of water, rock and salt. The 1,500 foot long, 15-foot wide coil is made of basalt rock and earth extending from Rozel Point. The artwork was created in 1970 by Robert Smithson. With increased visitation, the area around it is experiencing increased problems. The Spiral Jetty, a unique piece of land art created on the north shore of the Great Salt Lake, is more exposed than ever because of low water levels. CORRINE, Utah - State officials and supporters of the arts are becoming increasingly concerned about damage around one of Utah's most famous art pieces. ![]()
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