OPINION — As the mayor of one of Washington County’s largest cities, I’m frequently asked about our current water situation. The short answer is that we have had another great water year. Snowpack is 120% of median, local reservoirs are near full capacity, and our per capita water use has decreased significantly.
This year’s snowpack is welcomed, even celebrated, primarily because Washington County has been in some form of drought 80% of the time over the last 22 years. We rely heavily on reservoir storage to sustain our community, living off these reserves during our long, hot, and dry summers.
Recent data shows Sand Hollow at 98% capacity, Quail Creek at 79%, Kolob at 92%, and Gunlock at 100%. Collectively, these reservoirs hold nearly 100,000 acre-feet of water. In 2022, approximately 55,000 acre-feet of water was supplied throughout the county. Despite this seemingly abundant supply, with reservoirs near peak levels, it’s crucial to emphasize the importance of conservation. Each water year presents unique challenges and demands prudent management of our resources.
One of my most important duties is serving on the Washington County Water Conservancy District Board of Trustees. There we have established an ambitious 20-year water supply plan to meet current and future needs. This plan focuses on enhancing water source, storage, treatment and distribution capacity throughout the county. The plan includes additional conservation, expanding our reuse system, optimizing our groundwater supplies and converting available agricultural water.
The expansion of our reuse system, which will provide more than half of the water to serve our county’s water needs over the next 20 years, requires storage. Reservoir sites are carefully selected after considering the geology, soil conditions, biology, cost and access to existing infrastructure.
After much analysis, the district has identified the following areas for reuse reservoirs:
- Chief Toquer: A reservoir with a capacity of approximately 4,700 acre-feet is currently under construction in Toquerville.
- Dry Wash: A reservoir with a capacity of around 1,500 acre-feet planned in Ivins.
- Graveyard Wash: A reservoir with a capacity of about 2,000 acre-feet planned near St. George/Santa Clara.
- A fourth reservoir site is being considered in the Warner Valley area, which will be annexed into Washington City.
These reservoirs represent significant steps toward bolstering our water storage infrastructure and ensuring resilience in the face of fluctuating conditions.
In 2022, Gov. Spencer Cox met with district representatives to discuss the county’s water supply plans. The governor commended the county’s plan to conserve, develop a regional water reuse system and add storage.
“Through the implementation of these measures, Washington County has signaled its commitment to be on the forefront of meaningful water conservation in the West,” Cox said.
Washington County continues to lead out across the state in both water policy and practice. Our local cities have adopted the state’s most water-efficient standards for new construction. We are responsible for 34% of the grass that was replaced statewide in 2023. We have implemented a water rate structure that penalizes high-water users. Many of our cities have installed smart metering technology. We’re also developing a reuse system that will benefit all the county’s major population centers.
Washington County is a leader. Our early settlers came to this beautiful desert community with very little, and through hard work and determination, they created this beautiful place we are fortunate to call home. At the foundation of their labors was the need to protect and develop the community’s water supply. This work is still underway today and it requires the collective effort of every city and resident to be successful. We all play an essential role in our community’s future and nothing is of greater value than having a safe and reliable water supply.
We live in a desert, we need to act like it.
Submitted by Washington City Mayor KRESS STAHELI, Washington City.
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