The mountains above Davis and Weber counties typically have more than 17 inches of snowpack this time of year. Right now, it’s less than 3 inches.
That means some of northern Utah’s reservoirs can’t count on getting their usual spring boost, said Scott Paxman, general manager and CEO of the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District.
“The runoff was non-existent. It's over. We didn't see any peaks in streams or rivers,” he said. “So, we’re basically starting where we ended last year with the volumes of water in our reservoirs.”
Weber Basin’s reservoirs are around 60% full, Paxman said, which is just over a year’s worth of storage. And the summer heat, which increases both evaporation and demand, hasn’t arrived yet.
That dicey outlook has prompted the district, which provides water to over 700,000 people in Davis, Weber, Summit, Morgan and Box Elder counties, to enact mandatory cuts. Customers will need to reduce outdoor watering by 20%.
“If they go over that, they will be shut off for the rest of the season,” Paxman said. “So, it's up to them to watch their own water use and stay in compliance.”
The basin’s irrigation season was also shortened this year, starting a month late in mid-May and ending a month early in mid-September.
The board will revisit the situation monthly to decide if the mandatory reduction should adjust based on conditions, Paxman said. The next stage of the district’s drought plan would be a 40% cut.
“We're just scrambling to know exactly how far to cut so that we have something held over for next year,” Paxman said, “because that's always uncertain, what next year is going to look like.”
Despite some recent rain and snow, drought continues to grip Utah.
The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows every inch of the state in drought, with nearly 60% in the extreme or exceptional categories.
A mid-April storm brought St. George its largest single-day precipitation total of 2026, with nearly a half-inch of rain. But its year-to-date total — just over 2 inches — is still less than half of what it should be for this time of year.
While one storm won’t change southwest Utah’s outlook, it can relieve some pressure, said Zach Renstrom, general manager of the Washington County Water Conservancy District. Rain adds moisture to the soil, which means more runoff from the next storm might flow downstream rather than getting absorbed by thirsty dirt.
The district’s system of diversions and reservoirs also allows it to make the most of what little has fallen.
“If it wasn't for those big reservoirs, for those big pumps and pipes, we would be in a lot of hurt this summer,” he said. “But because we have that, I can sit here and say, ‘Yeah, we're probably going to be OK this summer.’”
Washington County’s two largest reservoirs, Sand Hollow and Quail Creek, are 83% and 75% full, respectively.
“I think they're even more crucial with the changing climate,” he said. “We have to be building these projects to make sure that we don't have water shortages.”
The Chief Toquer Reservoir east of St. George should be completed by early next year, he said, and construction of the Graveyard Wash Reservoir is slated to begin this fall. Both will add storage for the wastewater reuse system that the district is ramping up to meet growing population demands.
Because local reservoirs are holding up this spring, Renstrom said the district board has not yet voted to move toward mandatory cuts. Local communities have adopted the water shortage contingency plan that the district proposed late last year, which would dictate how cuts play out.
The first stage would mean a 10% cut in water use. If any cities fall short, the district would impose significant financial penalties.
“All our water down here is really connected, literally our pipes are connected all the way from Toquerville to Ivins,” Renstrom said. “So, we all have to play together to make sure that we all have enough water, and not just one city's hoarding it or abusing it.”
He thinks it’s unlikely the board would impose cuts before July.
How communities conserve could also influence whether and when cuts arrive in southwest Utah. The easiest thing for residents to do, Renstrom said, is water lawns just once a week and turn off sprinklers before and after rainy days. For other parts of Utah, the state recommends not watering lawns at all yet.
Several Utah water districts, including Washington County and Weber Basin, also offer rebates to help people swap grass lawns for less water-intensive landscaping and install smart irrigation controls.
“If we don't use a gallon of water today, it's just going to be there in the future,” Renstrom said. “So, we're always asking residents, just be wise.”
