Little salt lake
Little Salt Lake also called Parowan Lake, is a dry lake west of Interstate 15, and Paragonah and northwest of Parowan in the Parowan Valley of Iron County, Utah.
Contents
Map of Little Salt Lake, Utah 84761, USA
HistoryEdit
Little Salt Lake originally was a seasonal, shallow, brackish sink fed by springs, Freemont Wash and streams emerging from the Hurricane Cliffs in the Parowan Valley. Local Native American people lived in the vicinity of the lake, who called it "Paragoon," which meant "vile water." Long ago a creek drained the lake westward through the Parowan Gap in the Red Hills.
Later Americans named the lake, Little Salt Lake in contrast to the larger Great Salt Lake to the north. Its original Piute name with some alteration was given to the valley and the towns of Paragonah and Parowan.
Diversion of water from creeks and springs for irrigation of crops has ended Little Salt Lake as a seasonal wetland, reducing it to an arid playa.