SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statewide state of emergency as over 60% of the state enters extreme drought conditions. Gov. Cox said all 29 Utah counties were in “severe …
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a statewide state of emergency as over 60% of the state enters extreme drought conditions.
Gov. Cox said all 29 Utah counties were in “severe drought,” with 22 of those experiencing extreme drought.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that Utah’s drought conditions were significantly worse in 2026 when compared to 2025, when only 3% of the state was considered to be in extreme drought, and 42% was under severe drought conditions.
The dry conditions come after Utah had its warmest winter on record and the lowest snowpack levels ever recorded. According to the Utah Division of Water Resources (DWR), the state’s snowpack peaked three weeks early at 8.4 inches, which officials said was about half what the state typically receives by the beginning of April.
DWR added that the stream flow runoff was anticipated to be only about 50% of normal.
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“Our snowpack provides 95% of Utah’s water supply,” said Cox. “This winter, that supply fell short of what Utah needs. We are now relying heavily on reservoir storage, which remains at 70% capacity thanks to careful management during wetter years. But those reserves are being drawn down faster than we’d like. I urge every Utahn to treat water as the precious resource it is.”
The declaration activates the state’s Emergency Operations Plan, according to the Utah Governor’s Office, directing the state’s Drought Response Committee to review hardships caused by drought and recommend actions.
Gov. Cox also renewed his call for Utahns to conserve water by installing water-smart landscaping, smart irrigation controllers, following the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide and fixing any leaks inside and outside their homes.
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Source: Utah News