Officials say reservoir levels are staying steady because Utahns are saving more water

ST. GEORGE — According to a new report, Utahns are drawing less water from reservoirs when compared to this time last year.  Because of that, reservoir levels are near where they were a year ago despite starting the irrigation season with lower levels, according to a weekly drought update from the Utah Division of Water Resources released Thursday.

In this file photo, a sprinkler waters a field at a school in Washington County, St. George, Utah, June 30, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News

“The efforts that the legislature, residents and municipalities have made are working,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said in the update. “This helps us keep water in our reservoirs for future years.”

Efforts have been pushed from the state level on down to conserve water since the Southwest’s ongoing drought took a severe turn in 2021. The Utah Legislature approved nearly $500 million in spending earlier this year for conservation efforts like turf replacement and secondary water metering.

Orders were also handed down by Gov. Spencer Cox to reduce outdoor water use at state-run facilities.

Closer to home, Cedar City implemented a tiered fee system with increasing rates for water use through 2026. It takes effect Sept. 30.

In Washington County, several cities passed water conservation and landscaping requirements for new construction that are considered to be among the strictest in the state. Under the new code, developers are responsible for securing a viable water supply – generally through the Washington County Water Conservancy District – for their projects before they can build.

Cities in Southwest Utah also participated in a statewide campaign to replace non-functional turf with more water-efficient landscaping.

In this file photo, nearly 120,000 square feet of grass was replaced with water wise landscaping in Washington County, including this street median in St. George, Utah, May 19, 2022 | Photo courtesy of the Washington County Water Conservancy District, St. George News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced over the summer that it was cutting back on water use for its many churches and other properties in the state and installing water-wise landscaping at certain locations. Other area churches began reducing their water use last year.

The Washington County Water District also began to practice water conservation efforts over the last year and reported it reduced water used by around 100 million gallons.

These efforts, combined with local efforts, have allowed Washington County residents to reduce water use by 111 million gallons compared to last year, said Karry Rathje, communications and government affairs specialist for the Washington County Water Conservancy District.

The reduction occurred despite a 5% increase in the number of connections to the water district’s system over the last year, she said.

Part of the drop in local water use has been credited to monsoon rains that passed through the area during the latter half of summer.

As for local reservoir use, the county’s two primary reservoirs, Quail Creek and Sand Hollow, are down 1% and 16% respectively compared to the previous year.

“Our residents are clearly using less water per capita, but our water storage continues to decrease so it’s essential we continue conserving,” Rathje added. “Most water waste occurs in the fall when temperatures start to drop and residents fail to decrease their irrigation frequency. We encourage everyone to reduce irrigation frequency. It yields the most water savings at home.”

In this file photo, grass covering a soccer field at the Fields at Little Valley sports complex in St. George. The city plans to replace the grass at the complex with synthetic turf as a water saving-measure, St. George, Utah, May 4, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

It is estimated that between 50 to 60% of the culinary (drinkable) water used in Washington County goes toward outdoor watering.

“Drought or no drought, we need to use our water supply responsibly,” Hasenyager said in the drought update.

Additional highlights from the state’s drought update:

  • Utah Water Savers has processed 23,640 smart irrigation controller rebates and 3,000 toilet rebates (since program inception in 2018).
  • Drought conditions and high temperatures continue to cause harmful algal bloom (HABs) growth throughout the state. Visitors are advised to check habs.utah.gov for current conditions and report suspicious algae. More info in the full report below.
  • Waterfowl populations have decreased across North America due to drought impacts. Anyone planning to hunt waterfowl this fall should visit the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources website to see how populations are doing across the state and for hunting tips.
  • Thirty-five of the 47 reservoirs the division monitors are below 55%, which is about the same as last year but still about 12% lower than normal for this time of year.
  • Residents looking for tips on how to help reduce water consumption can be found at SlowtheFlow.Org.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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