This article is the third in a four-part blog series exploring cloud seeding and Utah’s efforts to bolster snowpack. Here, in Part Three, our meteorologist addresses how we ensure safe and best practices. Read Part One to learn about the fundamentals of cloud seeding — what it is, how it works and why it matters. Part Two dives into why cloud seeding works well in Utah, while Part Four clarifies common myths and misconceptions.
This article is the first in a four-part blog series exploring cloud seeding and Utah’s efforts to bolster snowpack. Here, in Part One, our meteorologist introduces the fundamentals of cloud seeding — what it is, how it works and why it matters. Read Part Two to dive into why cloud seeding works well in Utah, Part Three to understand how we ensure safe and best practices and Part Four to read about common myths and misconceptions.
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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SALT LAKE CITY (Dec. 18, 2024) – Winter brings snow that blankets mountains, delights skiers and transforms the landscape into a frosty wonderland. Snowman building and skiing aside, we get about 95% of our water from snowpack. Enter SWE, or snow water equivalent — the superhero of snow measurements!
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SALT LAKE CITY (Dec. 17, 2024) – Current snowpack is developing in a “stair-step” pattern, with storm-driven increases followed by plateaus. Statewide, our snowpack is 81% of normal. Despite this early variability, hopes remain for a near-normal snowpack accumulation by spring. Utah’s snowpack typically peaks in April.
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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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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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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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SALT LAKE CITY (Oct. 16, 2024)—On Oct. 15, rebates for smart irrigation controllers increased from $75 to $100, and rebates for water-efficient toilets increased from $100 to $150. These rebates are available on UtahWaterSavers.com and are offered statewide.
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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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