Comments about ‘Utah's snowpack is 'no pack' with dearth of storms’

Goodness gracious, you've had plenty of snow these past years and now "dooms" day? Let's see, January 20 plus days left, February, March, April and yes, even May are still on the calendar.
Come back at the end of May and give a grim look. In the mean time what happens to all the water stored in all the lakes through out the State of Utah over the last few years? Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix perhaps???

@Honor Code

Did you read the article? It addresses your questions. From the article:
"While the state's long dry spell is cause for concern â especially among snow-dependent industries such as skiing, tourism and outfitters â it has yet to have water supply managers raising a call of alarm."

It then goes on to talk about all the water they received last winter and the resulting full reservoirs.

The bottom line is, even in years of plenty, we need to conserve water. For every year of feast, there's likely multiple years of famine coming. We get a finite (and essentially unchanging, when you look at averages) amount of water each year, yet the number of people consuming it is growing quickly. Water conservation is the new reality whether it's a good snow year or a bad one.

Tearing out a few golf courses wouldn't hurt either.

Some good points Robin...and the State needs to change the way it sells it's excess water...by not committing resources in guarenteed bulk over long periods of time. There should be contingency language written into every water contract that restricts the total amount of excess water available for sale and bases every sale annually on a percentage of excess water available and prioritizes which uses get first priority Agricultureral obviously first...and Golf courses and fancy fountains in Southern Cal and Las Vegas last. The Upper Colorado States of Wyoming, Utah and Colorado need to tighten up the reins.

We ARE, in a desert. This is factual. No ideological divide there.

Just look at the title of this paper.

'Deseret News?'

Pagan,

"Deseret" does not mean "Desert". It means Honey Bee. So it's "The Honey Bee News".

I have lived in Utah for 52 years and this is the driest year in my memory. I snow shoe alot and this is the FIRST year in the past 20 that there was no snow to snow shoe in in January. This is SERIOUS! We can't live off 2010's snow fall for much longer. I foresee HUGE water rationing this summer. Golf courses better be prepared to go dry!!

'Pagan,

"Deseret" does not mean "Desert". It means Honey Bee. So it's "The Honey Bee News". - nairbnosral | 10:08 a.m. Jan. 13, 2012

And where did you find this definition?

The word 'DeserEt' is a word created by Mormon's, for Mormons. It is not used in traditional english and is used more as 'slang' term, than in the dictionary.

'DesErt', is a word.

Regardless of how many letter 'E's you add to words, it does not mean Utah is a tropical enviorment, flush with various sources of drinkable water.

Where are the Bee's, even?

Utah is high desert, we're supposed to be dry. This winter has been dryer than many on record but there is not yet a need to be concerned. As wet as last year was I fully expect this year to be much dryer. Nature seeks balance after all.

After all the snow last year, its nice to get a year off.
All it does is make it easier to get to work; I do not have to leave two hours early, and get home two hours later like last year.
They talk about water conservation, but no one does anything serious to go after those using excess water; they should charge more per gallon after a certain amount of water usage; those using an extravagant amount of water should have to pay more for it.
Do not ski; and besides the ski resorts can make their own snow.
I am a happy camper this year.

pagan,
although we do live in a desert, 'Deseret' has nothing to do with this being a desert. It comes from the Book of Mormon book of Ether. You don't have to believe this account recorded from this book to prove that early residents of Utah named their paper after this word,meaning Honey Bee. Google History of the Deseret News newspaper.

@Pagan and Nairbnorsal
My goodness can't we get along. Both of you happen to be right ...or at least somewhat right. Nairbnorsal happens to be right in the meaning of the word... it does refer to honeybees and you Pagan are right only in that it is...as you say more of a Mormon based word because it does come from our Book of Mormon. From the book of Ether Chapter 2 verse 3 to be precise. But you are far from being right that it is not used traditionally in the english language. One only has to convey that there are litterly millions of copies of the Book of Mormon published in over a hundred different languages all based on the first original english translation and also.. if you should happen to look at the State flag you cannot help but see the symbolism and the industrialism that the honeybee inspires that embodies the Behive that centrally adorns it. According to Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormaon the word Deseret is an acient Hebrew term for the Honeybee...and like it or not it has nothing to do with the word desert.

...and yes...I see that I mispelled Morman in the end of my posting for those so inclined and can't help themselves feeling the need to point it out.

Vidar...You do realize it takes water to make artificial snow...that kind of creates a paradox in relation to the subject of discussion here as well as a possible oximoronimous element to your conclusion...doesn't it???

About a year or so ago. Researchers at UC-Berkeley indicated that Global Warming is effecting the Western US's rainfall patterns. I am sure Utah Hydrologists have seen this report. "Grim" is the word. Looking out 50 plus Years, the study concluded that there will not be consistent enough rain/Snow fall to support the current populations in many cities in the American West. Major Cities such as Vegas, Phoenix, SLC/Wasatch Front and Denver will be hard pressed to find this absent water. They said this surplus population would need to migrate someplace east of the Mississippi River. Without Water Aqueducts Los Angeles Basin could, I've heard, only support a population of about 200K in the LA Basin from reliable rain and snowfall from the surrounding mountains. English Gardens in the Desert West are unsupportable luxeries now and for the foreseeable future.

@Pagan,

It's better sometimes to keep your mouth shut and not risk sounding like an uninformed individual rather than open the mouth and remove all doubt.

Deseret=Desert? Really? Bahahahaahah

The honey bee is the symbol of "industry" and "work". It's scriptural (which is obviously why you don't understand the meaning) and used often by Brigham Young, who in case you've forgotten brought a band of pioneers here in 1847 and established the community that would be come the State of Utah.

Where's Stockton ??? | 12:46 p.m. Jan. 13, 2012

no

There is lots of water in the mountains to make artificial snow. Then it melts, and goes back into the river, where they got the water from to make the artificial snow.
Its not like they truck water up the mountain to make the artificial snow.
And even if they did, it would melt, and go back into the reservoir, where they got the water from.

We could start by not subsidizing farmers and ranchers to produce on land that is, by nature, too dry to support these activities. All over the West we have farmers vs fishermen vs homeowners. Let's come up with water use that is sustainable, re-jigger the water rights and live with it. Our golf courses should look like those in AZ. Fewer blades grass around our houses. And charge people for excess water use above typical use.

Well, we do live in the desert...let us not forget...and this is why we have built reservoirs to hold extra water...

Hey, environmentalists...get it now?

Dart Thrower,

While it might not be perfect, most cities do charge water on a tiered basis. Ie if you use below average water you only pay x amount per gallon used. But as you use more water you pay more per gallon. I used to work for a nursery and because they had to use so much water to keep 10 acres worth of plants alive they had to pay almost triple the per gallon amount that a normal homeowner would pay.