Council hears summer water outlook after record snowpack, conservation still urged

The Lehi City Council met on Tuesday, February 7, for their annual budget retreat. The all-day meeting is filled with presentations, budget discussions and setting priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1. The first presentation on Tuesday was an update on the current water outlook for the spring and summer seasons. 

“We’re off to a banner start. This has been a winter we’ve all been waiting for the last few years,” said Lehi City Water Department representative Matt Dalton. 

Dalton reported that as of February 1, the statewide snow water equivalent (snowpack) is at 171% of normal. The state has already surpassed average peak totals with 60 days remaining in the season. There have only been two years with higher snowpack levels since the Snowtel Network recorded totals, 1984 and 1997. 

Lehi, which uses the Provo-Jordan-Utah Lake basin, sits at 182% of normal snowpack levels. 

“We need to keep our conservation efforts going,” continued Dalton.

Despite the record levels of snowpack, reservoir levels are a different story. The State is currently at 45% of total capacity, while the Provo Rover Basin sits at 62%. The storage level reflects recent years’ poor water conditions. Although the statewide drought conditions have been improving, the water system will need several winters, like 2022, to return to normal levels. 

The City will continue conservation efforts and messaging heading into the spring and summer months. The most effectiveconservation method is currently underway as the City is installing pressurized irrigation meters on all Lehi properties and will start to inform residents about their water usage while offering intelligent watering tips based on property size and landscape type. 

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In addition to installing water meters, the City is working on informing residents about water-wise landscaping options and current programs offered to replace existing grass. 

By conserving, Lehi residents have saved millions of gallons of water over the past few years. In 2020, Lehi residents used 17,648 acre-feet of water, compared to just 12,346 acre-feet in 2022. 

“Our residents have done a phenomenal job conserving water. We want to keep our conservation going and not backward, “ Dalton concluded.