More wet weather needed before spring to heal Utah's drought conditions - The Park Record

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The Provo River flows near where it enters the Jordanelle Reservoir in mid-March. Utah has had a drier-than-normal winter, and state water officials are doubtful that enough snow will fall in the next few weeks for the snowpack to reach average levels. They say the runoff this spring will not likely be enough to fill the Jordanelle and other reservoirs, which are already well below normal levels.
*David Jackson/Park Record*

As the end of winter nears, Utah water officials are holding onto hope that a wet start to spring will help replenish the state’s snowpack.

An inch and a half of water was added to the snowpack, which provides 95% of Utah’s water supply, by snowstorms in late February and early March, but the state still needs 4 inches of precipitation before the snowpack peaks in April to reach sufficient levels, according to Laura Haskell, a drought expert with the Utah Division of Water Resources.

“We’re starting off in the hole,” she said. “I’m hopeful that we’ll get a couple more (storms), but I don’t think we’ll make it to that peak though, unfortunately. I don’t see that happening.”

Last water year — Oct. 1 to Sept. 30 — the snowpack was in poor shape and peaked at around 81% of average. The lack of precipitation caused the melting snowpack to soak into the dry soil during the summer months instead of running off into nearby bodies of water — causing an exceptional drought throughout Utah.

This year, there’s a different problem.

The state’s soil moisture, which is 7.3% above the median for this time of year, has almost doubled compared to last year, which will critically improve runoff efficiency this spring. However, reservoirs are 10% lower than this time last year, according to Haskell.

Reservoir storage is around 55% capacity statewide compared to 65% last summer. Out of the state’s largest 45 reservoirs, 28 of them are below 55% of available capacity. The Rockport Reservoir, where Park City gets a large supply of its water, is at 55% capacity and the Jordanelle Reservoir is at 49%. The Smith and Morehouse Reservoir near Oakley is at 58%, while the Echo Reservoir is at 37% capacity, according to the Utah Division of Water Resources.

“(Reservoirs) are where we get our summer water from in most places. There may be some restrictions even though, precipitation-wise, it hasn’t been a horrible year but we’re still trying to make up for last year,” Haskell said.

The majority of streams officials are measuring, 48 of 77, are also flowing below normal, although fewer gauges are collecting data because of ice.

The statewide snow water equivalent, which is the amount of water there would be if the snowpack melted, is 11.4 inches. That’s 86% of the median for this time of year and 71% of the median peak, which occurs around April 1 or April 12 for areas in higher elevation like Park City.

According to the Utah Division of Water Resources, the majority of the state, around 97%, is in a severe drought, while 33% is in an extreme drought.

Going into the spring, Haskell is hopeful there will be more consistent storms to boost the snowpack before it reaches its peak. However, she said there will likely be watering restrictions in different areas.

“This year, it’s more spotty. There are a variety of situations based on your water source so it’ll be really important to check with your local water provider on what your specific situation is,” Haskell said.

Individuals will likely be asked to cut back on their outdoor watering as it consumes a lot of water for an inessential purpose. The Utah Division of Water Resources is also promoting the localscapes concept where homeowners are encouraged to transition to more drought-tolerant yards.

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