Utah Drought

KSL NewsRadio is Utah’s source for drought news. Our team is dedicated to showing the impacts of low water levels, pictures of real-life scenarios, updated drought statuses and more.

Utah is one of the driest states in the country, with impacts that vary over time. Find drought-proof plants and drought-resistant landscaping tips, or use the Utah state wildfire map to monitor what areas are most at risk. What's more, you can learn about efforts to conserve water and other initiatives concerning the state’s limited water supply.

Featured Stories

The Colorado River Basin is at a significant point in its history as Lake Powell and Lake Mead’s ...

Spencer Mahon

Combined acre-feet of Lake Powell, Lake Mead at record low. Here’s what that means for the Colorado River Basin

The Colorado River Basin is at a significant point in its history as Lake Powell and Lake Mead’s combined total water is now at a historic low, prompting concern from Colorado River experts.

4 days ago

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Smelter is pictured near the Great Salt Lake in Salt Lake City on Thursday,...

Shelby Lofton, KSL

What’s in Great Salt Lake dust? Researchers explain after dust sweeps through Salt Lake Valley

A dust storm that swept through the Salt Lake Valley on Wednesday carried potentially harmful particles from exposed areas of the Great Salt Lake lakebed into nearby communities.

11 days ago

The human-caused Middlefork Fire burns northeast of Huntsville in Weber County in June. Utah wildli...

Carter Williams, KSL

Firearm target shooting temporarily banned at WMAs in 17 Utah counties over wildfire concerns

Utah wildlife managers have paused firearm target shooting at wildlife management areas in 17 counties across the state, citing high wildfire danger.

18 days ago

Jamie Barnes, Utah Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands direc...

Heather Peterson

State forester defends Utah’s wildfire mitigation efforts amid destructive fire season

Recent wildfire victims in Utah blame the U.S. Forest Service for a lack of forest management. But the Utah State Forester said severe drought conditions meant that no amount of extra mitigation would have prevented the Utah fires.

19 days ago

Upgrades are in the works around Pineview Reservoir in Weber County. The Utah Division of Wildlife ...

Carter Williams, KSL

Utah increases fishing limits at these 7 bodies of water affected by drought, construction

Utah increased fishing limits across the state ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, as water levels continue to drop from drought or will be lost to construction.

19 days ago

water rights...

Heather Peterson

Second water rights application for Box Elder County data center withdrawn

A second water rights application related to the massive data center in Box Elder County has been withdrawn after about 700 formal protests were filed against the application.

2 months ago

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at a press conference about water at Little Dell Reservoir near Emigra...

Carter Williams, KSL

Cox issues emergency declaration as Utah’s drought intensifies

Gov. Spencer Cox has issued an emergency declaration over Utah's worsening drought situation.

2 months ago

The city of Page, Arizona approved a 500-acre land sale in October to a company that intends to dev...

Heather Peterson

Another data center project ruffles feathers just south of Utah’s border

Residents of Page, Arizona have been speaking against the possibility of a 1 GW data center that could be built about two miles away from Horseshoe Bend which is along the Colorado River and a little more than five miles away from Lake Powell.

2 months ago

Box Elder County commissioners met Monday at the Box Elder County Fairgrounds in Tremonton to consi...

Adam Small, Kennedy Camarena and Mary Culbertson, KSL

A new water rights law will directly affect the Box Elder data center. Here’s how

A new law that went into effect last Wednesday in Utah could make it easier for the backers of a proposed AI data center in Box Elder County to secure the water rights they need. 

2 months ago