Utah reservoirs drop further as monsoons fail to offset drought

Summer monsoon storms brought rain to Utah but reservoir storage continued to fall sharply. The state water division reported that reservoir levels are at about 57 % of capacity, 22 % lower than a year ago and 17 % below the July average. The median decline between May and July, normally 1 %, reached 13 % this year, driven by low snowpack, higher evaporation, water consumption and mandatory drawdowns.

While most of the state remains in drought, with roughly 95 % of areas experiencing at least severe conditions, soil moisture in mountainous sites improved after the monsoonal pulse. A few reservoirs such as Porcupine Reservoir remain full, but several in central and southern Utah – including Gunnison, Otter Creek and Panguitch Lake – are at 10 % capacity or less. The Great Salt Lake sits more than seven feet below a healthy level. Officials also warned that recent wildfires have created burn scars that increase flash‑flood risk during storms.