Is Utah Lake worth saving?

[PBH]

would adding channel cats really help?

One major issue with Utah Lake is the lack of aquatic vegetation. Sure, we have miles and miles of phrag on the shoreline, but nothing in the majority of the water body.

if you were to eliminate carp, aquatic vegetation would come back. With that aquatic vegetation, the existing largemouth bass population would most likely prosper, along with numerous other species.

the biggest "fix" for that lake is not an equation of "adding" more species. It's a habitat equation. One way to help fix the habitat is to remove carp. Another habitat "fix" would be to restore the Provo River delta, which in turn would benefit the June Sucker. Right now, with the Provo River inlet being a deep, slow "backwater", those June sucker fry become easy meals for the walleye, cats, etc. the move into that slow water to feed. Restore that back to a natural delta, and you restore the natural spawning habitat for those endangered fish. Again, this would benefit multiple species, including sport fish.
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