SALT LAKE CITY — The official start of summer may still be weeks away, but parts of Utah are already struggling with water supply, raising concerns about how the state will be affected as conditions get worse.
Near-record high temperatures are forecast for many areas over the weekend, which only exacerbates conditions created by what officials called a subpar water year.
"Rising temperatures and increased demand will be a cause for concern this summer," said Utah Division of Water Services Director Candic Hasenyager. "Our reservoirs will get us through this year, but another year like this will stress our water supply."
According to the Utah Department of Natural Resources, reservoir storage is "generally healthy" for most of the state, but there is worry over the southern areas. The agency said the Virgin River has been flowing below normal since January, and the Sevier River hit an all-time low water flow this month.
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Although the Great Salt Lake is up 1.5 feet since its seasonal low in November, its rate of increase has already begun to level off.
Because of low water levels, wildlife officials issued an emergency change this week at Crouse Reservoir in Uintah County, allowing anglers to double their daily keep limit up to eight trout. The change was implemented to improve the survival of any fish that remain.
Last month, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox declared a State of Emergency for 17 counties due to drought conditions, a move that hadn't been made in the state since 2022. The governor's declaration has since expired.
