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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Washington, D.C. (09/30/24)—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the Utah Division of Water Resources with a WaterSense Excellence Award for promoting the WaterSense brand. WaterSense honored its Sustained Excellence, Partner of the Year, and Excellence Award winners during the WaterSmart Innovations (WSI) Conference. The division was one of 22 Excellence Award winners.
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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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SB 211 looks to enhance state’s water management
SALT LAKE CITY (Sept. 18, 2024) – Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed, and the Senate has confirmed, Joel Ferry as the state’s water agent as outlined in SB 211. Ferry currently serves as executive director of the Department of Natural Resources and will continue in this role while assuming water agent duties.
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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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SALT LAKE CITY (July 8, 2024) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently announced that it has allocated $185 million to 32 states and one U.S. Territory for the rehabilitation of high-hazard dams. Utah is among the states receiving an initial award, and will likely receive $7.2 million.
“Aging dam infrastructure and the requirement to meet the minimum dam safety standards make this initial award a welcome sight,” said Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources. “Dam improvements are imperative to the safety of Utahns, and they are also costly. We are grateful for FEMA’s support.”
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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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SALT LAKE CITY (May 24, 2024) – the Utah Legislature provided approximately $22 million in grant funds during the 2024 legislative session for water infrastructure projects in Utah. Grants have now been awarded.
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SALT LAKE CITY (May 16, 2024) – As of mid-May, over half of this winter’s snow has melted. Utah’s water conditions continue to benefit from favorable weather patterns, ensuring optimal spring runoff. Short periods of warm temperatures followed by cooler weather and precipitation have helped slow snowmelt.
“A slow warmup is exactly what we need to have a safe and effective spring runoff,” Candice Hasenyager, director of the Division of Water Resources, said. “We still have a good amount of snow in the mountains, so we are hoping for a gradual snowmelt.”
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In Part 1 of the Sprouting Sustainability series, we discussed the beneficial role of a water-efficient veggie garden here in semi-arid Utah, along with the unique needs of our watersheds, attitudes about landscapes and incentives available for landscape conversions. Now we’re diving into the garden patch to give you actionable tips as you cultivate your waterwise veggie paradise.
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