SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's reservoirs are under significant stress following the driest winter on record, with smaller local reservoirs averaging just 43 percent of storage capacity statewide.
The state's most important reservoir is mountain snowpack — and this year, there simply wasn't much of it. That has left man-made reservoirs across Utah running well below normal levels.
Data from the Utah Division of Water Resources shows that while last year's strong storage numbers have helped cushion the blow in 2026, that buffer will not carry over into next summer.
Statewide, when all reservoirs are included, Utah sits at 35 percent of storage capacity. When major reservoirs — Lake Powell, Flaming Gorge, Utah Lake, Bear Lake, Jordanelle, and Strawberry — are removed from the calculation, the smaller local reservoirs that communities depend on most are averaging 43 percent capacity.
Pineview Reservoir in the Ogden Valley was at its median level at this point last year. This year, data shows exactly when operators began releasing water for upgrades, accelerating the decline.
The picture is especially grim in central and Eastern Utah. In the Vernal area, Steinaker Reservoir has dropped to just 28 percent capacity. Mill Site Reservoir in central Utah is in a similar position.
South-central Utah is faring the worst. Otter Creek Reservoir sits at just 10 percent capacity — a reservoir that is normally around 70 percent full around Pioneer Day. Nearby, Yuba Lake has been suffering for years and now sits at just 9 percent of capacity.
Water managers and residents should not expect last year's advantage to repeat itself.
