Monsoonal moisture has helped whittle down the percentage of Utah listed within the U.S. Drought Monitor's two driest categories in recent weeks, dropping from a high of 84% of the state in at least extreme drought to 62% this week.
"An active monsoon season in the Southwest led to improvements to drought conditions. Precipitation has improved many drought indicators including soil moisture, streamflow and well data," Deborah Bathke, a climate scientist with the National Drought Mitigation Center wrote in the U.S. Drought Monitor's latest report. "Extreme drought improved in Utah and Nevada. Additional improvements are expected next week as the effect of the recent rainfall continues to be analyzed."
Those monsoons, however, have little impact on Utah's reservoir levels, which have now fallen to 47% of full capacity, according to Utah Division of Water Resources data. The agency adds that 30 of the 47 reservoirs the division monitors are below 55%, which is 18% below normal for this time of the year — though slightly better than last year.
The low statewide level was expected as a result of the below-average snowpack over the past winter.
But as levels decrease, Utahns are finding ways to continue to cut back on water use, the state agency says. In a drought report released Thursday, the division notes that Utahns have "saved billions of gallons" again in 2022, highlighting reductions in four districts that made large strides this summer.
- Salt Lake City Public Utilities has reduced water consumption by 17% compared to the three-year average, a reduction of 2.5 billion gallons. The district includes Utah's capital, Millcreek, Cottonwood Heights parts of Holladay, Murray, Midvale and unincorporated territory in Salt Lake County. Salt Lake City leaders urged water reduction in April, before the irrigation season began.
- Water deliveries within Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District are 12% lower than last year, through July. That's a reduction of 1.05 billion gallons.
- Weber Basin Water Conservancy District's water deliveries are 27% lower than its 2021 water usage, though an estimated reduction wasn't included in the report.
- Despite a 4.6% increase in the number of connections, Washington County Water Conservancy District has used 11.5 million gallons less this year than last year. The Washington County Water Conservancy District also announced new restrictions earlier this month, which are anticipated to save close to 11 billion gallons of water over the next decade
In addition, division officials say there has been a 200% increase in applications to "Flip Your Strip" programs across the state. The program helps residents remove park strips through xeriscaping, which has the potential to reduce home water consumption by 5,000 to 8,000 gallons annually, according to Utah Water Savers.
"Efforts to advance water conservation are having a significant impact on our ability to stretch the water supply," said Joel Ferry, acting executive director at the Department of Natural Resources, said in a statement Thursday. "Utah communities are responding by implementing waterwise ordinances, and residents are turning off their sprinklers and removing unnecessary turf. All of this helps reduce our water use."
Meanwhile, Thursday's report states that soil moisture levels are "generally high" across Utah as a result of the recent summer monsoons. The moisture has the potential to help next year's spring snowmelt by ensuring more water gets to reservoirs.
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center's fall season forecast calls for a higher probability of below-normal precipitation across the state; however, that doesn't mean there won't be fall storms that continue to help soil moisture levels.