July 4, 2000

San Juan County begins dealing with the Governor's declaration of drought next week.

The State Division of Emergency Management meets with San Juan officials Monday to begin assessing the State's role if drought conditions worsen. News Specialist Ed Yeates has more on the story.

If you think we need rain here in Northern Utah, try visiting San Juan County. The Governor's executive declaration says drought conditions there "present a serious threat to human life, property and the economy."

The scene now is reminiscent of four years ago. Crop yields are down, and the grass feed for grazing is drying up from lack of water.

State Emergency Management will work with the County to protect grazing permits and secure water from adjacent areas, if necessary.

FRED MAY, STATE DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: "YOU KIND OF HAVE TO STEAL FROM PETER TO PAY PAUL AND HOPE THAT PETER IS RICHER THAN PAUL WHEN YOU DO IT. AND STATEWIDE, WE ARE GETTING LOW ON WATER, BUT THEY CAN HAUL IT IN FROM ADJACENT AREAS THAT AREN'T QUITE AS BAD."

Fred May says some ranchers and farmers also have extra water and are willing to share with others if the drought continues.

And that lingering possibility - a long-term drought - is what worries State officials.

"THEY SHOULD BE GETTING INTO A MULTI-YEAR DROUGHT - MAYBE A THREE TO SEVEN YEAR DROUGHT WITHIN THE NEXT DECADE. SO THIS ONE COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF THAT ONE."

We're still okay in Northern Utah, but history shows this part of the state can dry up too, usually in the third year of a widespread drought - as it did in the 1700's and again from 1896 to 1904.

The problem now - urban sprawl in the Intermountain States has created more demands on water supplies. In a severe drought, water levels could disappear much quicker, as they have already in a recreational lake in Eastern Idaho.

And it's not just here. How about Georgia, Alabama, Texas and Florida?

"SEEMS TO BE GRADATIONAL FROM FLORIDA TO US HERE. WE JUST HAVE ONE COUNTY HERE WHICH IS SAN JUAN COUNTY. BUT IN FLORIDA, PRETTY MUCH ALL OF THE COUNTIES HAVE BEEN DECLARED FOR A THREE-YEAR DROUGHT, WHERE 1,600 WATER WELLS HAVE DRIED UP FOR DRINKING WATER."