SALT LAKE CITY — With nearly 93 percent of the state under Severe Drought conditions, the Utah Division of Water Resources offered a grim update on what may lie ahead during the summer.
The department acknowledged that in previous years, the state's runoff would just be getting underway, but that it has already "come and gone" this season after a winter with record-high temperatures.
Runoff is what fills Utah reservoirs, which are currently 72 percent full, with little help on the way as statewide runoff is expected to be approximately 50 percent below normal this year.
"While larger reservoirs with multiple years of storage are doing well, smaller reservoirs with one or two years of storage capacity are struggling," the agency shared Thursday.
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As of Thursday morning, all of Utah is under some definition of drought, and just over 59 percent is in Extreme Drought. For the first time this season, all of Salt Lake, Davis, Weber and Utah counties are either fully in Severe Drought or a mixture of Severe and Extreme.
While meeting with county leaders and state water providers this week, the Utah Department of Natural Resources said it presented a "bleak outlook" for streamflow and runoff.
"We are asking county leaders to coordinate with water providers and review drought contingency plans and consider if a county-specific drought declaration is warranted,” said Joel Ferry, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. “While the state remains a resource for data and guidance, water planning – including any potential restrictions – takes place on a local level to reflect conditions in the area.”
