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UTAH COUNTY — More city and business leaders are looking for long-term water solutions for their communities as the latest winter storms fail to restore hope in an end to Utah's drought.
Northern Utah's watersheds are down six percent in snowpack since Jan. 1 despite an active weather pattern, said Natural Resources Conservation Service snow survey supervisor Randy Julander on Thursday. Julander said snowpacks in Northern Utah are currently running about 30 percent below average.
"Water is a big issue," said Taylor Oldroyd, CEO of the Utah County Association of Realtors.
Oldroyd has organized a "water forum" Dec. 22 in Orem at the association's headquarters. Dozens of mayors, council members, state lawmakers, business leaders and experts are expected to be in attendance to talk about water and growth.
Among the expected speakers will be Julander, Provo Mayor John Curtis, Sen. Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, Utah Division of Water Quality Director Walt Baker and Central Utah Water Conservancy assistant general manager Gene Shawcroft.
"We need to think long-term into the future, but hopefully this will get the discussion going," Oldroyd said. "Communities like Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs — for them to grow like they're projected, the Mountainland Association of Governments has, they're going to have to have access to more water."
An impact on growth is already being seen in some Utah communities. Pleasant View in Weber County drew attention in December for placing a short-term freeze on new building applications because of uncertainty over the water picture there.
The water worries come at a time when the housing and construction industries have largely rebounded from the effects of the Great Recession. Oldroyd said in Utah County, home prices had risen 11 percent year-to-date in November and the average home was on the market for 42 days — and that time includes closing.
We're going to have to find ways to make that resource last longer, and how we can possibly increase it.
–Randy Julander, Natural Resources Conservation Service snow survey supervisor
Oldroyd said there is currently not enough home inventory in the county. Julander said Northern Utah is actually not in as good of shape for water as this time last year, because the winter storms this season have not improved the situation much and water stores dropped last summer.
Of the major reservoirs tracked by the Bureau of Reclamation, Julander said four small reservoirs filled last year. He said runoff looks like it will be the same as last year.
"We're going to have to find ways to make that resource last longer, and how we can possibly increase it," Julander said.
Salt Lake County business leaders are also looking down the road if drought conditions continue saying water is important to industry.
"We're growing — and we're growing a lot faster than people think," Salt Lake Chamber President and CEO Lane Beattie said. "When it doesn't snow and we're having difficulties in that, it means it impacts us economically."
KSL Meteorologist Grant Weyman said Utah is just about half way through its water year, and things can still change for the better in January, February and March.
"We could wind up by the time we get to March or April with an average year," Weyman said. "We could have a slightly above average year. And if that's true, then we're in decent shape."
Oldroyd's water forum is scheduled for Jan. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Utah County Association of Realtors' offices in Orem at 1031 W. Center Street. He said it is possible if the response continues to grow that the location could be moved to a larger facility.
