Water conservation is pushed

A top water official has some familiar words for Utahns.

"We're going to be in for some serious water conservation issues for the rest of the year," Utah Division of Water Resources director Larry Anderson said Saturday afternoon at Fitts Park.

Anderson and about 15 others — including South Salt Lake Mayor Wes Losser and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner John Keys — came to the park at 3015 S. 500 East to plant trees and discuss effective water conservation methods as part of Gov. Olene Walker's Watershed Initiative.

The executive order signed Friday requires state agencies to conserve water and implement a water conservation plan, something Anderson said was necessary to combat the six-year drought plaguing Utah.

That, Anderson said, can be done by not overwatering lawns and making efforts to reduce the amount of grass used by contractors and landscapers.

"We need to use our water supply wisely because we're going to have real tight supplies again this year," he said.

Snowpack was 106 percent of average on March 1, but that figure had plummeted to just 50 percent by April 14, Anderson said.

Utah's not the only state thirsting for water, Keys said.

"This drought is like a bull's-eye on the 17 Western states. There are other demands for water that none of us have ever thought about before," he said.

Keys said his agency is working closely with Anderson's department and other similar state agencies to offset the long-term impacts such arid conditions can have on ecosystems and economies.

"A drought means you don't have water in the places where you need it, and there are a lot of people with competing demands who need water," he said.

Saturday's event was also part of Take Pride in Utah month — a collaborative effort between state, federal and private agencies to beautify the state by planting trees, restoring campgrounds and preserving parks in urban areas.

The program is a smaller-scale version of Take Pride in America — a national partnership designed to beautify areas across the country through similar projects.

"Gov. Walker's initiative fits hand in glove with what we're trying to do, and I think it's a great approach," Keys said.

---

E-mail: abenson@desnews.com