State water officials warn low snowpack, dry soils threaten runoff despite healthy reservoirs

Candice Hosseager, director of the Division of Water Resources, told the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee that Utah is starting the 2025 water year with snowpack and soil moisture well below normal in parts of the state, particularly southern Utah, even though many reservoirs are holding healthy levels.

Hosseager said about 95% of Utah’s water supply originates in mountain snowpack and that many SNOTEL sites in southern Utah are reporting only 24%–36% of normal snow water equivalent for this point in the season. She also said statewide soil moisture is below average — a condition driven by warm fall temperatures and a warm December — and noted that dry soils will soak up more meltwater and reduce spring runoff.

“Snow water equivalent represents the amount of water in that snow,” Hosseager said, explaining the link between mountain snow and downstream water availability. She told the committee that while soil moisture is below the long‑term average across much of the state, reservoir storage is generally in healthy condition: statewide storage is roughly 20% above the median for this time of year. Hosseager cautioned, however, that Lake Powell remains very low and “has its own concerns and issues.”

Hosseager reviewed recent history: the state experienced record runoff in 2023 and another above‑average year in 2024, which temporarily eased drought classifications, but drought indicators have begun creeping back into southwestern Utah. She summarized short‑term forecasts as relatively encouraging, citing an 8–14 day outlook that increases the probability of colder temperatures and precipitation — likely snow in the mountains over an upcoming weekend — while the three‑month outlook shows mixed probabilities and a trend toward below‑normal precipitation overall for parts of the state.

Committee members and the public asked questions about how valley rain versus mountain snow affects reservoirs and about the relationship between consumption and potential drinking‑water fees (discussed later in the meeting). Hosseager said summer rains reduce demand but do not typically contribute significantly to reservoir refill because spring runoff from snowpack is the primary driver of storage. She closed by noting the short‑term pattern shift and by responding to a request to clarify seasonal outlooks and take questions.

Why it matters: Utah’s reservoir refill and the Great Salt Lake’s level depend largely on mountain snowpack and subsequent runoff. Low snowpack and dry soils together can reduce spring inflows even when reservoirs currently show near‑median storage. The committee received the report as context for several bills later in the hearing dealing with drinking water finance, conservation planning and Great Salt Lake concerns.

Sources and meeting context: Hosseager presented slides and spoken remarks to the committee during the session; committee members asked clarifying questions and referenced the Great Salt Lake and Lake Powell during the exchange.