EMERY COUNTY, Utah — Central Utah ranchers and farmers are facing tough decisions after an extremely dry winter left spring runoff nearly nonexistent across much of the state.
Operations that normally rely on snowmelt flowing out of the mountains are already seeing major water shortages heading into summer, forcing producers to cut cattle numbers, feed livestock by hand, and prepare for the probability of even worse conditions in the months ahead.
“This is as bad a drought as I’ve ever seen,” said Emery County rancher Bill Butcher. “I’ve never seen a snowpack so dismal. It was almost nonexistent.”
Butcher says the impacts are already changing the day-to-day reality on his ranch.
“I got a herd of cows right here that typically are out on the range this time of year,” Butcher said. “But there is no feed out there.”
Instead of grazing naturally on open range, cattle are now being fed manually — adding more labor and expense at a time when water supplies are already stretched thin.
“We’re feeding these cows every day,” Butcher said. “They should be out on the desert feeding themselves.”
Water shortages are also limiting irrigation.
According to Butcher, canals feeding local farms are currently delivering only a fraction of the water producers would normally receive this time of year.
“The canal right now is delivering 10% of what a typical year would be,” he said. “Which is not enough for us to run a pivot.”
The drought is now forcing difficult financial decisions.
“We’ve cut our numbers by maybe 10%,” Butcher said. “And we’re wondering if that’s enough.”
The concerns stretch beyond ranchers.
Joel Hatch-Jensen, a farmer-rancher in Huntington, says producers are being warned water supplies may run out by mid-summer.
“We usually have water up through October,” Hatch-Jensen said. “We’ve been told we will be losing our water in July.”
That shortened irrigation season could mean major production losses for hay growers and livestock operations.
“They’re only going to get two crops,” Hatch-Jensen said. “So they’re going to lose an entire crop of production.”
Many producers say the uncertainty surrounding water supplies is making it harder to plan for the future, especially with months of summer heat still ahead.
Farmers and ranchers across Central Utah say they are now weighing difficult options — including reducing herd sizes, buying more expensive feed, or leaving some fields unplanted altogether.
While many admit that drought conditions are part of life in Utah, producers warn this year’s lack of runoff is among the worst they’ve experienced in decades.
