Picture show a flower with red and yellow pedals

Make every drop count: Utah Division of Water Resources unveils new waterwise tools for homeowners

Published 07-23-25

Salt Lake City, Utah – Jul 23, 2025 – Ready to transform your yard into a beautiful, water-efficient oasis? The Utah Division of Water Resources is thrilled to announce the launch of three new resources designed to empower Utah homeowners in creating stunning, waterwise landscapes. Introducing the Waterwise Plant application, the comprehensive Homeowner Landscape Resources Guide and the engaging Waterwise Landscapes webinar series. 

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Picture shows East Canyon State Park with mountains in the background on a sunny day.

Utah Water Conditions Update July 2025

Published 07-01-25

SALT LAKE CITY (July 1, 2025) – With the peak of summer ahead, state water officials are planning for hot, dry weather driving up demand. With drought conditions persisting across the state, using water wisely is more important than ever. Storms in the southern part of the state have improved the situation, while drought conditions have worsened in the northern part of the state. Overall, 91% of the state remains in moderate to severe drought.

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Don't get burned by zeroscape

Don’t get burned by zeroscape

Published 06-03-25

Nearly 60% of residential water use in Utah goes straight into the landscape, making it the single biggest opportunity for personal impact. In an effort to save water, many folks are ditching their lawns and going all-in on “zeroscapes” — think rocks instead of roots. While the intention is right, replacing greenery with gravel isn’t the eco-win it seems. Turns out, those rock gardens may be saving water but at the cost of other environmental benefits.

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Image shows Great Salt Lake from Antelope Island

Gov. Cox Issues Drought Executive Order

Published 04-24-25

Water conservation critical as Utah’s water supply faces a drier year

Salt Lake City (April 24, 2025) – With low streamflow forecasts, increased water demand as temperatures rise and southern Utah experiencing extreme drought, Gov. Spencer J. Cox issued an Executive Order today declaring a state of emergency in 17 counties due to drought conditions. The counties include: Washington, Iron, San Juan, Kane, Juab, Emery, Grand, Beaver, Garfield, Piute, Millard, Tooele, Uintah, Carbon, Sevier, Sanpete and Wayne. This declaration reflects USDA’s disaster classifications that are informed by the U.S. Drought Monitor and NRCS’s water supply report.

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7 ways to protect water resources in honor of Earth Day

Published 04-21-25

April 21, 2025 — Earth is a watery place. When we look at a photo from space, it’s easy to see that our planet has more water than land. But of all the water on Earth, more than 99-percent of it is unusable by humans and many other living things. It’s surprising that the water that supports all terrestrial and aquatic life on our planet is actually so scarce! 

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image show a waterwise yard with a central grassy area

Residents of Utah Saved Over 100 Million Gallons of Water Through Landscape Conversions in 2024 

Published 04-17-25

SALT LAKE CITY (April 17, 2025) – Over 100 million gallons of water will be saved each year through landscape conversions in the 2024 Landscape Incentive Program. This vital initiative, led by the Utah Division of Water Resources and Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County, and Weber Basin Water Conservancy Districts, empowers residents and businesses to save water while reducing water bills and contributing to Utah’s long-term water resilience. 

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Project database submission is open for the Unified Water Infrastructure Plan

Project database submission is open for the Unified Water Infrastructure Plan

Published 04-08-25

SALT LAKE CITY (April 8, 2025) — Utah is creating a Unified Water Infrastructure Plan (UWIP). The UWIP is a comprehensive list of water infrastructure projects that will potentially need state funds. Water infrastructure projects must be submitted to the UWIP Project Database by May 9, 2025 in order to qualify for state funding.

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Confronting Great Salt Lake's dust dilemmas

Confronting Great Salt Lake’s dust dilemmas

Published 03-07-25

SALT LAKE CITY (March 7, 2025) — The Utah Division of Water Resources has been hard at work on the Great Salt Lake Basin Integrated Plan for a little over a year now, and a handful of its projects are in full swing. The integrated plan — funded with $5 million by the Utah Legislature in 2022 (HB 429) and $3.1 million from the Bureau of Reclamation’s basin study program — aims to ensure a resilient water supply for Great Salt Lake and all water uses, including people and the environment, throughout the watershed. The research projects that make up the integrated plan range from groundwater well monitoring, to identifying water requirements for shorebirds and a lot more in between. Once complete, the integrated will be a robust planning tool that will inform future water management decisions within the basin.

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