- Gov. Spencer Cox plans to issue a drought-related emergency order soon due to worsening conditions.
- Over 90% of Utah is in severe drought; snowpack peaked at a record low.
- State reservoirs are at 72% capacity, but water shortages and increased fire danger are anticipated.
SALT LAKE CITY — Gov. Spencer Cox says he plans to issue some sort of drought-related emergency declaration "fairly soon," citing Utah's worsening drought situation tied to a record-low snowpack.
Members of Utah's Drought Response Committee are expected to meet next week to discuss what the measure would include and its timing, the governor said. Utah has been putting money aside over the past few legislative sessions in case of a bad fire year, he noted.
"We're ahead of the game. This is responsible planning," he said, during his monthly news conference with Utah reporters on Thursday.
All emergency orders last 30 days unless extended by the Utah Legislature.
The governor issued an emergency order last year for 17 counties that suffered a rough snowpack at the time, directing the committee to review "hardships and other circumstances" and recommending that water supply and irrigation companies across affected areas "encourage efficient landscape watering."
However, this year's situation is worse and more widespread. Over 90% of Utah remains in severe drought or worse heading into May, including close to 60% in extreme or exceptional drought, the worst two drought categories, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported earlier in the day. All other parts are in moderate drought.
It's a much drier scenario than this time last year, when 72% of the state was in drought, but just 46% was in severe drought or worse.
"We are facing ... a very serious drought," Cox noted at the beginning of his press conference.
Utah's situation is mostly tied to its lowest snowpack on record, while record-warm temperatures that brought more rain to the mountains also spurred early spring snowmelt. Snowpack accounts for approximately 95% of the state's water supply and also affects other aspects of the state's hydrology.
Storms and milder temperatures throughout April have helped delay the end of the snowmelt. The gap between this year and the previous record low snowpack narrowed from 3.4 inches of snow water equivalent on April 1 to 0.4 inches by the end.
However, state water managers say the peak runoff from the snowpack, when Utah receives the bulk of the benefits, has "already come and gone" much earlier than usual.
Although the state's reservoir system is 72% full, slightly above the median average for this time of the year, the system may not gain much more this season. It peaked at 87% last year, and with little additional snowmelt expected, this year's average could drop below the median for the first time since a record-high snowpack in 2023 lifted the state out of its last severe drought.
Smaller reservoirs that rely on one or two years of snowpack are struggling much more than larger ones that can handle a rough year, state officials noted this week.
Seventeen of Utah's largest reservoirs have already slipped to 60% capacity or less before the peak water consumption period. These can be found throughout the state, but are more commonly found in southern, central and eastern Utah, where the drought is strongest right now.
That's led to water shortages that cities and farmers are planning for.
"In the months ahead, we are relying heavily on our savings, which is our reservoir storage," Cox said, noting that reservoirs are vital in providing drinking water, as well as water for agriculture, environmental and recreational use. "These conditions are, of course, also impacting the Great Salt Lake, which is not recovering at the pace we need it to."
State water officials note that dust events, stress to native vegetation and increased fire danger are all impacts of severe and extreme drought. Above-normal temperatures are projected to linger into the summer, which could quickly dry out vegetation and increase fire danger.
The governor is scheduled to meet with executives of TNT Fireworks later Thursday over wildfire concerns. He said he plans to keep them informed about the increased fire danger Utah is likely facing before the state's legal firework periods for the Fourth of July and Pioneer Day holidays, and possible restrictions that could be in place by then.
While he expects to issue a drought declaration, the Utah Department of Natural Resources is planning to deliver weekly or biweekly messages about the state's drought situation over the coming months, too.
"We want to over-communicate. ... Our purpose is to educate and inform the public with this information," said Teresa Wilhelmsen, director of the Utah Division of Water Rights and the state engineer, earlier this week.
