Editing Spiral Jetty (section)

==Preservation==
[[File:Approaching the the dry Spiral Jetty on June 18th, 2018.jpg|thumb|Approaching the dry ''Spiral Jetty'' on June 18, 2018]]
Preservation efforts for ''Spiral Jetty'' face considerable challenges due to the remote location of the site and its vulnerability to natural environmental conditions. These challenges are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change and increased tourism activity.

At the time Dia acquired ''Spiral Jetty'', the work was fully submerged in the lake. Beginning in the early 2000s, however, sustained drought in Utah caused water levels to recede, and ''Spiral Jetty'' became visible for the first prolonged period in its history. As a result, the prominence of ''Spiral Jetty'' has risen dramatically over the past decade, increasing both the visitorship to the site and the public's interest in the artwork, at the local, national, and international levels.

Dia is committed to maintaining a photographic record of the work and documenting changes to the piece over time. Dia collaborates with two organizations in Utah, the Great Salt Lake Institute at Westminster College (GSLI) and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA) at the University of Utah, who have been deeply involved in the advocacy of ''Spiral Jetty'' over the years.

In 2008, plans were announced for exploratory oil drilling approximately five miles from the jetty.<ref>Kennedy, Randy. The New York Times. [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/06/arts/06arts-ARTISTSRALLY_BRF.html "Artists Rally for Spiral Jetty in Utah"] February 6, 2008</ref> This was met with strong resistance from artists, and the state of Utah received more than 3,000 emails about the plan, most of them opposing the drilling.<ref>Johnson, Kirk. The New York Times, March 27, 2008. [https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/us/27spiral.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin "Plans to Mix Oil Drilling and Art Clash in Utah"]</ref>

The year 2009 marked a collaboration between Dia and the Getty Conservation Institute, with the objective of creating a repeat photography system. This system was specifically designed to document the evolving changes taking place at the ''Spiral Jetty'' site and to closely monitor it for any conservation requirements.<ref>Rand Eppich et al. (2011). "[http://hci.ptools.net/Browse-Topics/PREVENTIVE-CONSERVAnON/Spiral-Jetty-Paper-Rand-Eppich.pdf. Monitoring Spiral Jetty: Aerial Balloon Photography],"{{dead link|date=July 2023}} ICOM International Council of Museums Committee for Conservation, pp. 1-8</ref>

Starting in late 2016, Dia initiated the practice of sharing aerial photographs of ''Spiral Jetty'', captured twice a year since 2012. These photographs were taken from nearly identical vantage points as part of Dia's dedication to documenting the evolving changes of the artwork over time through photographic records.<ref>Dia Art Foundation (n.d.), "[https://www.diaart.org/collection/spiraljettyaerials Spiral Jetty Aerial Documentation]" </ref>

The issue of preservation has been complicated by ambiguous statements by Smithson, who expressed an admiration for [[entropy]] in that he intended his works to mimic earthly attributes in that they remain in a state of arrested disruption and not be kept from destruction.<ref name="trib" />

Dia's website states that visitors are prohibited from removing rocks from the artwork or from stepping on vegetation that is on the grounds of the artwork. Visitors are also prohibited from constructing fire pits near the artwork or on the parking lot. If caught, visitors will face strict fines. The website also states that visitors are instructed to carry out their waste.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diaart.org/visit/visit/robert-smithson-spiral-jetty|title=Dia {{!}} Visit {{!}} Robert Smithson, Spiral Jetty|website=www.diaart.org|access-date=2019-03-21}}</ref>