Dry land surrounds the boat dock at Antelope Island State Park in Syracuse is pictured on Dec. 7, 2021.
Shafkat Anowar, Deseret News
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox made a public plea last summer, calling on Utahns to pray for rain as the state began to experience some of its worst drought conditions on record.
The seasonal monsoon did come back in late July and August, and snow collection levels may end up closer to average thanks to a pair of April storms; however, he said Thursday that prayers aren’t enough to fix the projected drought situation as the irrigation season begins.
It’s why Cox issued a state of emergency regarding the state’s drought, effective immediately.
“We’re certainly not relying solely on deity to solve our problems,” the governor said, speaking at his monthly press briefing.
The order issued Thursday mirrors one issued last year. It opens the process for communities, farmers and anyone else affected by the drought to request government resources.
At the Utah drought’s height last year, the U.S. Drought Monitor listed more than two-thirds of the state in “exceptional” drought status — the worst recorded in the monitor’s history. Utah has also been in drought status for eight of the last 10 years, as noted by the declaration.
A study published earlier this year noted that the West’s two-decade “megadrought” is also the worst in 1,200 years.
“Right now, the entire West is stuck in this dry cycle,” Cox said. “The only thing that changes that is our ability to utilize the snowpack and increase water storage in the state.”
This year’s water year, which began on Oct. 1, got off to a promising start. The statewide snowpack levels were above 125% entering January; however, it hit a snag at the beginning of the calendar year. The first quarter of the year was the fourth-driest on record, according to National Centers for Environmental Information data.
Utah’s reservoirs are currently 59% of capacity statewide, while the state’s snowpack levels are now 70% of normal for this point in the year. The U.S. Drought Monitor issued an update to Utah’s drought situation earlier Thursday, listing 44% of the state in an extreme drought, while most of the rest of the state is in severe drought status.
The order also notes that the federal government recently declared a water shortage on the Colorado River for the first time ever, which impacts Lake Powell in southeast Utah. The nation’s second-largest reservoir is now below a quarter full its potential capacity.
“Obviously, reservoir storage is what gets us through the dry years and it’s dependent on snowpack and runoff. But extended drought and last year’s dry conditions have really drained our reservoirs,” Cox said.
While April has been productive with a storm last week and there’s another “amazing” storm arriving Friday, Cox said the storms aren’t enough to get the state out of the drought status, which is why the state of emergency is important.
The order also opens up state funds to help residents if reservoir levels drop low enough to impact drinking water supplies, in addition to helping out farmers who may suffer from less water.
Cox mentioned Thursday that bills passed by the state legislature earlier this year will help ease the impact of the drought this summer. Any water restrictions this summer will be taken on a district-by-district basis, so some Utah residents may see restrictions this summer while others won’t.
The governor also called on residents, businesses, institutions and farmers across Utah to find ways to cut back water consumption this year. He’s optimistic that people will respond because billions of gallons of water were saved last year when people and government agencies reduced their consumption.
“Honestly, we far passed and exceeded our highest expectations last year for what Utahns will be willing to do and their ability to conserve,” he said. “There were some eye-popping conservation numbers and our water managers were all shocked with how well Utahns did last year, so we’re hoping for a repeat performance this year.”
Utah drought: Gov. Spencer Cox orders new emergency declaration
Source: Gabriella Pinoys
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