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Utah Snowpack Plunges to Record Low as Winter Window Narrows

The state faces tight spring supplies with little time left for a rebound.

Overview

  • An NRCS special report confirms statewide snow water equivalent at roughly one-third of a typical peak with limited time for recovery.
  • Thirty-one of 140 SNOTEL sites are at record lows, and the Weber–Ogden, Provo–Jordan, Tooele Valley–Vernon Creek and Lower Sevier basins have set new lows.
  • Reservoirs are below seasonal norms, with Lake Powell near 26% capacity and Wasatch Front storage about 10% under average.
  • Water managers warn of potential irrigation and even municipal restrictions, and one district projects only 70% to 75% runoff in the Provo River basin.
  • Soil moisture is average to above normal and may improve runoff efficiency, but experts estimate only about a 20% chance of storms erasing the deficit.