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Division of Water Resources warns low snowpack and early melt will strain reservoirs and likely lengthen algal-bloom seasons
Summary
A Division of Water Resources presentation to the Boating Advisory Council said snowpack peaked early at about half normal in many basins, leaving several reservoirs well below typical levels and raising concerns about prolonged algal blooms and reduced runoff for boat ramp access.
Laura Haskell, a hydrologic manager with the Utah Division of Water Resources, told the Boating Advisory Council that this year’s April snowpack peaked roughly three weeks early and was “about half of what we would typically get” in many basins, leaving streamflows and smaller reservoirs below normal and increasing evaporation risk from a warmer forecast.
Haskell said larger multiyear reservoirs such as Deer Creek and Flaming Gorge retain carryover supplies—Flaming Gorge was at about 77%—but smaller reservoirs that rely on this year’s runoff are ‘‘really struggling’’; she cited Willow Bay at roughly 55% and Lake Powell at about 24% and described regional variability in gauges driven by both weather and upstream management.
The presentation emphasized practical implications for recreation: lower water reduces usable boat ramp elevations and increases the need for drought‑access mitigation projects; Haskell also said lower runoff and warmer surface temperatures can lengthen algal‑bloom seasons, noting that managers had already applied pretreatment at one site. She encouraged stakeholders to consult drought.utah.gov for reservoir fill maps, algal‑bloom updates and signups for a recurring interagency webinar that consolidates USGS, Bureau of Reclamation, National Weather Service and NRCS data.
Council members pressed agency staff on whether unusually wet autumn rains improved soil moisture and reservoir performance. Haskell said deeper soil layers remain relatively wet and will help groundwater, but surface moisture (the top two to eight inches) is drying and snowpack functions differently than direct runoff storage. She cautioned that some benefits went to aquifers rather than immediate surface runoff, which limits short‑term relief for stream and reservoir levels.
The presentation concluded with practical recommendations for boating stakeholders: monitor reservoir fill maps before scheduling construction or launches; consider drought‑access design elements (extended ramps or alternative access points) in infrastructure planning; and watch the agency’s webinar series for the latest gauge and forecast information. The council asked Division of Water Quality to present at a future meeting about revised narrative standards and algal‑bloom risk mitigation.
