The Utah Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is asking all members in the Beehive State to do their part in conserving “valuable water resources” as the state grapples with severe drought conditions.
“This is not a political issue, but a stewardship issue,” Elder Brian K. Taylor, Elder John A. McCune and Elder Jorge T. Becerra of the Utah Area Presidency wrote in a June 30 letter sent to local church leaders. “We have a sacred responsibility to take care of what our Heavenly Father has given us.”
The Utah leaders’ letter addressed concerns surrounding the Great Salt Lake and its shrinking water levels.
“While the decline in the Great Salt Lake can be attributed to many factors, such as changing weather patterns and drought, the primary cause lies in the fact that water use from tributaries into the lake has exceeded what is necessary to maintain sustainable water levels. …
“We ask all members in Utah, particularly those in communities surrounding the Great Salt Lake, to carefully consider personal ways to conserve valuable water resources.”
For the past several years, the Church of Jesus Christ has been taking steps to reduce water usage at its properties across the Western United States and around the world.
It has updated its facilities’ landscapes with less turf grass and more drought-tolerant plants and installed hundreds of smart irrigation systems at its properties in the United States’ Intermountain West. These systems are estimated to save 500 million gallons of water annually.
The church has also donated water rights from its properties to the Great Salt Lake.
Most recently, for instance, the church participated in a collaborative effort to release 10,000 acre-feet or 3.26 billion gallons of water from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake.
The water released came from leases by the church and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District through a collaboration that also involved the Great Salt Lake Watershed Enhancement Trust, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands.
The church also provided a long-term lease of 4,000-7,433 acre-feet of water each year.
“We are grateful for the many stakes that have fasted and prayed for more rain and snow,” the Utah Area Presidency wrote in its recent letter.
“We know that God is pleased when we ask him for help. We are confident that when we exercise our faith through fasting and prayer, while taking the necessary steps personally to conserve and sacrifice, our Heavenly Father will make up the difference and provide the blessings and miracles we need.”
Learn more about the church’s efforts to care for the earth here.