Residents decrease water use during drought


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WEBER COUNTY — Two years of drought are taking a toll on Utah reservoirs. Residents in many cities have been asked to cut back on their water use.

Dee Waldron has been working on a farm most of his life but he said he's using less water on his crops than normal.

"We're using half as much as we normally do this time of year," Waldron said.

Water managers said levels at reservoirs in northern Utah are the lowest they've seen in decades.

Reservoirs are currently between 16 and 40 percent full. Ideally, they would be between 60 and 75 percent full this time of year.

Officials said there will likely be only 28 percent of the water storage left by October, and the low numbers have farmers and ranchers worried about the future.

"We're very concerned," Waldron said. "Not just me, but all segments of agriculture."

Reed Cozens, the Weber and Ogden River Commissioner, said he has also worried about the water level during the summer.

"These systems have been designed to store a two year supply," Cozens said. "However, at this second year of drought it's going to be very serious if we don't see more snow this year."

Most of northern Utah is currently under watering restrictions. Water managers said they hope residents will take the restrictions seriously.

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