Utah faces repeated droughts, rising temperatures, economic expansion, and a growing population. The state must build resiliency into its land and water use planning to deal with water scarcity and promote responsible and sustainable growth.
In 2022, there were successful water conservation efforts, but long-term solutions are needed to ensure the state’s limited water supply can meet the needs of people, the economy, and the environment.
More integrated land and water use planning must become part of all cities’ and counties’ plans. Utah State University is collaborating with the Utah Division of Water Resources to develop a guidebook for integrating land and water use planning.
