SALT LAKE CITY — Utahns don't mind having less grass in their landscaping if it means the water saved ends up on a farm, a new poll shows.
An Envision Utah survey indicates that Utah residents are willing to reduce their lawns to 40 percent of their overall landscaping and use less water if it means the savings are directed to farms and ranches, wildlife or recreation.
The results of the poll, Your Utah Your Future, support a strong and growing conservation ethic when it comes to one of Utah's most precious natural resources, said Tage Flint, who co-chairs Envision Utah's water task force.
Flint, who is general manager of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, said it is particularly encouraging that 85 percent of the survey's respondents say per-person water use should decrease, and that on average, that reduction should be about 23 percent by 2050.
"We find it encouraging that the poll is showing Utah citizens are willing to continue with their conservation efforts beyond what they are doing now and are also expecting that kind of behavior change going forward," he said. "We are going to be more diligent about conservation programs, at least in our district, and it looks like there is going to be an audience for that."
Nearly 53,000 Utah residents weighed in on water resource management going into 2050, especially in the face of a population anticipated to nearly double.
Five different scenarios contemplate water resources to be met in a variety of ways — through conservation, possibly taking some water from agriculture as cities expand or developing new sources.
Of those five scenarios, four of them include building the Lake Powell Pipeline and the Bear River Development project to meet new water demand, an inclusion that brought harsh criticism from a water watchdog group.
"It's absolutely ridiculous to offer four scenarios calling for $5 billion in destructive water development and one gloomy future with water conservation," said Zach Frankel, executive director of the Utah Rivers Council.
Frankel has led the charge against the two water development projects, asserting they are costly and unnecessary in the face of wasteful water practices.
But Robert Grow, president and CEO of Envision Utah, said results from a statistically significant portion of Utah residents indicate they feel the projects are necessary.
"Since Utah was founded, every generation has built the necessary infrastructure for the next generation," he said.
Flint said despite Frankel's criticism, the survey reflects that people favor an approach to water resources that couples responsible conservation with responsible development of new water resources.
"We have to take an even balanced approach about this where we look at responsible agricultural conservation, responsible water conservation and responsible water development with projects as they are needed," Flint said.
According to the survey, half of Utahns agree the Lake Powell Pipeline needs to be built at some point — and in the one scenario where it isn't, only 20 percent of respondents indicated they favor that option.
Frankel said the survey wrongly assumes that water supplies won't be sufficient and a significant amount will have to be taken from agriculture.
"Envision Utah essentially claimed water conservation will lead Utah to an apocalyptic future,” Frankel said. “They’re ignoring the many water conservation success stories throughout the U.S. that allow abundant water for growth."
State water resource managers and the Washington County Water Conservancy District insist future water supplies for fast-growing southern Utah can't be met through conservation alone.
And poll results clearly show that Utah residents are not willing to take water from farmland.
The top reason Utah residents believe water should be conserved is to ensure there is a plentiful supply for farms and food production — 30 percent landed on that reason.
"I think we have to pay attention to that," Flint said. "In no case can water demand issues be solved going forward by letting agriculture dry up."
Grow said agriculture's importance is resonating with Utahns who place high value on being self-sufficient — with a local food supply being a strong component of that.
"We are all watching droughts, we are watching people get sick from the food they eat," he said. "We are seeing the long supply lines of 1,200 miles. … We've seen the price of food go up."
That vulnerability, he stressed, is leading Utah residents to a point where they acknowledge sacrifices have to be made.
"People are seeing the bigger picture of water. They know it is used in their businesses, their grass, and in their house, but they also know it is used to grow food," he said, "and they're willing to make the trade-off."
Email: amyjoi@deseretnews.com
Twitter: amyjoi16