Conservation and community groups have filed a lawsuit against Utah for what they claim is the state’s failure to ensure enough water gets to the Great Salt Lake, to avoid what they call an “ecological collapse.” The lawsuit seeks a court order requiring Utah to let more water reach the largest natural lake in the Western Hemisphere. John Leshy, professor emeritus of law at the University of California-San Francisco, said the lake is a “public trust” resource per the state’s constitution. He added the court will examine what the designation means when it comes to managing and protecting it. Back in the 1970s, the California Supreme Court stepped in to protect Mono Lake from its water being diverted to Los Angeles utilizing the Public Trust Doctrine. Leshy argued it could set a strong precedent in Utah.