LOGAN – The water picture across the state is looking dim, say Utah Division of Water Resources officials. With what is generally the hottest part of summer ahead, those watching out for Utah’s water users are looking at the warmer weather driving up demand.
Using water wisely is more important than ever. Storms in the southern part of the state have improved their situation, while drought conditions have worsened in the northern part of the state. Nearly the whole state remains under moderate to severe drought conditions.
“Temperatures have soared, and with that comes a natural increase in outdoor watering,” Candice Hasenyager, director at the Utah Division of Water Resources, said. “We want our lawns and gardens to look nice and there are ways to do this through smart planning and new technologies.”
High spring temperatures and a normal to below-normal snowpack in many areas this past winter resulted in a quick runoff season. Meteorological spring is defined as March, April and May.
During that period, temperatures were 2.36°F above normal (normal is the average of the 1991-2020 time period). Great Salt Lake has seen a modest increase of about 1.5 feet since its seasonal low in November.
According to USGS, Great Salt Lake peaked in mid-April at an elevation of 4193.6. levels are starting to decline but remain 8% higher than normal thanks to strong water supply from previous years.
Kirt Lindley, the dam keeper for Hyrum , said the water level is about normal for where we are this time of year.
“Hyrum Dam basically never changes, it’s such a small the only time it really changes is if we have bigger than normal snowpack,” he said. “We don’t have a lot of water coming in, but at this point I’m not worried for my water users. I can’t speak for others but I’m not concerned for our guys.”
He said he heard that over in Randolph the rivers have died down and they could be in trouble, but Hyrum doesn’t depend on the same kind of water.
“I don’t think the rivers stay running has hard as they usually do,” he said. “The Hyrum Dam fills every year.”
He hadn’t heard anything about Porcupine, but he did hear Newton did fill this year.
Reservoir levels throughout the state are starting to decline, but remain 8% higher than normal thanks to strong water supply from previous years.
“Right now, we’re generally seeing outflows from reservoirs begin to exceed inflows,” Hasenyager said. “That pattern typically sets in later in the summer, but this year’s heat is accelerating things. Across all sectors, we need to look for ways to be efficient with our finite water supply.”
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) wants to help farmers and ranchers struggling because of the drought by offering low-interest Emergency Disaster Relief Loans (EDRL) to agricultural producers effected by the ongoing drought. Governor Spencer J. Cox declared a state of emergency on April 24, 2025, highlighting the drought’s impact on the state’s agricultural economy.
Farmers in Beaver, Carbon, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Piute, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Tooele, Uintah, Washington and Wayne counties can apply for loans of up to $100,000 per entity. A total of $2 million is available through the EDRL program.
These seven-year loans offer a significant benefit: no interest for the first two years, followed by a 2.75% interest rate for the remaining five years. Applications for these relief loans will be accepted until October 23, 2025.
Ninety-five percent of the state’s water supply comes from snowpack. storage helps preserve water for dry summer months and drought years.
The Department of Natural Resources continues to promote initiatives such as the Agricultural Water Optimization Program for farmers and SlowtheFlow.org for residents. Programs like these are made to educate and incentivize water-saving practices, ensuring Utahns become more drought-resilient and prepare for future conditions.
Many indoor water-saving tips are available on the Slow the Flow website.