Drought Emergency?

Is Utah in a drought emergency that requires federal aid?

That's the question a state drought committee could decide Tuesday.

News Specialist John Daley has details.

Don't be deceived by the water you see running is some streams around the state.

Links Conservewater.utah.gov Water Wise Landscaping Online booklet from USU. Click on "HG 458: Water-wise Landscaping." Red Butte Gardens: Xeriscaping Includes list of drought-tolerant plants (requires Acrobat reader) Facts About Utah's Water Supply Dept of Natural Resources Utah Snow Survey Includes precipitation reports Water Saving Tips Home Water Audit 877-SAVE-H2O

The drought we are in is as severe as many Utahns have seen in their lifetimes--and Tuesday the state's top drought board will likely recommend to the governor that he declare a drought emergency in parts in Utah.

You know things are bad when you look at a picture postcard perfect day and you wish for more clouds.

Clouds-- storm clouds in particular--and cool temperatures are what Utah really needs now.

Instead we have sunny skies and a dismal spring run-off around the state--another sign Utah is solidly entrenched in a four-year drought.

Tuesday the state's drought committee will likely urge the governor to ask for federal relief.

Randy Julander monitors snowpack around the state and sits on that board.

Randy Julander/Snow Survey Supervisor: "YOU GO ACROSS THE STATE AND TALK WITH THE VARIOUS FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND YOU GET AN IDEA OF HOW SEVERE THE IMPACT IS GOING TO BE, COME A COUPLE OF MONTHS."

More than 80% of Utah's water is generated by snowpack on the 20% of the state's land mass, which is mountainous.

A satellite image tells the dire story.

The white in the mountain ranges of the north is snowpack. Visible, but clearly not what it should be.

This time of year, the moutains of southern Utah should have plenty of snow, too.

But the picture shows those ranges--shaded in the yellow circles--are bone dry, virtually no snowpack at all, meaning no runoff.

Julander: "THIS IS A TRAIN THAT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE STOPPED ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I JUST CAN'T CONCEIVE OF CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THAT'LL REVERSE IT AT THIS POINT. YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE RAIN AT LEAST EVERY TWO WEEKS FOR THE DURATION OF THE SUMMER TO MAKE ANY KIND OF IMPACT ON THIS SITUATION AT ALL."

Depending on what the drought committee recommends, it seems likely the governor would declare a drought emergency--not for the entire state, but for several counties.

April 22, 2002