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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Utah Water Conditions Update January 2025

Published 01-16-25

SALT LAKE CITY (Jan. 16, 2025) – Northern Utah has experienced near-normal precipitation, although much of it has been in the form of rain rather than snow, which could affect water storage for the spring melt. In southern Utah, however, snowpack remains 27-64% of normal for this time of year, continuing dry conditions in that region. 

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Utah Water Conditions Update November 2024

Published 11-21-24

SALT LAKE CITY (Nov. 21, 2024) – As of late November, Utah’s water conditions represent a mixed outlook. Current soil moisture levels are around 9% below normal, raising early concerns about potential impacts on next year’s spring runoff. Low soil moisture means that, without improvement, more of the snowmelt may be absorbed by dry ground before it reaches streams and reservoirs. 

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New Study Recommends Utah Maintain Use of Property Taxes and More Aggressive Tiered Rates to Fund Crucial Water Projects 

Published 11-19-24

SALT LAKE CITY (Nov. 19, 2024) – In relation to SB 34 (2023), the Utah Division of Water Resources has contracted with LRB Public Finance Advisors to complete a new study on water infrastructure funding. This study evaluates how property tax revenue is currently utilized in the supply, delivery and water infrastructure needs of Utah and neighboring states. It also explores best practices for the procurement and management of infrastructure funding and makes recommendations for promoting equity among water users. 

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A new tool launched for tracking water conservation at state facilities

Published 10-21-24

SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 21, 2024) – The Utah Division of Water Resources and the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management have partnered to create the State Facility Water Tracker. This new tool displays data related to water use specifically at state facilities. Visualizing this data helps us better understand water conservation efforts at these locations. Preliminary numbers show that Utah state facilities have achieved a 20% reduction in water use since 2020.  

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Officials Tour $81 Million Seismic Resilience Project 

Published 10-02-24

Protecting Water Supply for 650,000 Residents

SOUTH WEBER (Oct. 2, 2024) – Today, state and local officials toured the Davis County Aqueduct seismic resilience project, a critical $81 million effort aimed at securing the water supply for over 650,000 residents in the event of a major earthquake. 

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Tulip time: plant vibrant, waterwise plants now

Published 09-24-24

While Holland is responsible for Tulipmania and popularizing tulips, the flowering bulb is not native to Holland. In fact, most of the winter-hardy bulbs we are familiar with — like daffodils, tulips and hyacinths — are indigenous to Eastern Europe.

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Utah Water Conditions Update August 2024

Published 08-15-24

SALT LAKE CITY (August 15, 2024) – Precipitation this summer has been underwhelming for most of the state. Heat has also been a major issue over the past months. Continued water conservation efforts are crucial as demand for water increases during these hotter months. 

“The state has been drying out this summer. Monsoons have been present in some form, but have been few and far between,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “We need more of these monsoons to saturate our soils for an efficient spring runoff next year.”

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Image shows a flowing Jordan River at sunrise with trees lining the river

Utah Water Conditions Update June 2024

Published 06-27-24

SALT LAKE CITY (June 27, 2024) – As of late June, most of Utah’s snowpack has melted.  As we enter drier and hotter conditions, many streams and rivers are still running high, fast and cold – creating dangerous conditions. The state continues to stress caution around these water bodies. 

“Our snowpack melting gradually has helped fill reservoirs and replenish our natural environment,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “For the most part, we have avoided flooding concerns while managing reservoirs optimally.”

According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s June Water Supply Report, statewide storage is at its highest level in at least 15 years, if not much longer. Multiple basins (Weber-Ogden, Tooele Valley, Duchesne, Provo, Price, Southeastern Utah, and Beaver watersheds) are at or close to their reservoir storage capacity.

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