This is your daily news rundown for Friday, May 22. In this edition:
- Fire restrictions are in effect for parts of southwest Utah
- Causey Reservoir in Weber County is getting safety improvements
- Some splash pads have reduced hours or are closed because of drought
Southwest Utah public lands are under stage 1 fire restrictions
Stage 1 fire restrictions are now in effect on all Bureau of Land Management lands in southwest Utah.
That means no open fires or campfires using solid or ash-producing fuels, smoking except in an enclosed area, grinding or welding metal, or using an internal combustion engine without a working spark-arresting device.
The restrictions apply to Washington, Iron, Kane, Garfield, and Beaver counties until further notice.
It comes just days after Wayne County implemented stage 2 fire restrictions, which also restricts open fires of any kind.
Causey Reservoir is getting safety improvements this summer
Causey Reservoir in Weber County is getting safety upgrades this summer, which may also mean some delays.
The project includes reconstructing roads and recreation sites at the reservoir, constructing a boat ramp at the Skull Crack parking lot, and adding a parking lot, restrooms, and walking path to the south end of Causey Dam.
Access to the reservoir and Causey Estates Recreation Area will stay open, but there will be construction delays from one-lane roadways and flaggers.
Construction has already begun and is expected to continue through next year.
To reduce water usage, some splash pads are reducing hours or closing entirely
Some splash pads in northern Utah are either closing or reducing hours because of water usage concerns.
Draper’s splash pad at Smith Field Park opens on Wednesday, but will only be open five days a week.
Meanwhile, Eagle Mountain is fully closing its Nolen Park splash pad for this season. The pad at Cory B. Wride Memorial Park, which uses a recirculating water system, will stay open.
On Thursday, Governor Spencer Cox announced a state of emergency for Utah’s drought, with 22 of 29 counties experiencing extreme drought conditions.
