Water Conservation

One tree can consume from 10 to 150 gallons of water from the soil per day. In total, Utah's forests are using trillions of gallons of water a year.

This year was a bad one for the Colorado River. Climate change is shrinking the water supply and policymakers are struggling to reach a deal that would cut back demand.

Journalists, scientists, farmers and city officials packed the conference center at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas to watch water managers hash out the river’s future in the public eye.

The plan would pump billions of gallons of water from rural Beaver County to Cedar City 70 miles away. Opponents fear it will dry out an area already facing historically dry conditions.

Washington County relies on the Virgin River, which is drought-prone. The county is currently using more than 90% of its annual reliable water supply.

The Gila River Indian Community will leave some of its water in Lake Mead, and aims to receive federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Speaker Wilson announced his intention to introduce legislation in order to create Utah Water Ways. This would be a nonprofit, public-private partnership with the mission to help educate Utahns on how to conserve water.

The Department of the Interior designated $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for drought mitigation in the Colorado River basin.

Water agencies in Southern California have agreed to cut back 400,000 acre-feet each year for four years. The deal between agencies supplying cities and farms comes amid federal pressure to reduce use of the shrinking river.

Xeriscaping? Charging higher fees? These cities are saving precious water by easing landscape rules, providing incentives and improving fixtures.