Regional Agencies Report on Current Water Runoff, Snowpack, and Water Availability for 2026

Salt Lake County, UT — The Salt Lake County Flood Control Engineering & Watershed Management team presented alongside Salt Lake City Public Utilities and Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District to update the Salt Lake County Council on the water outlook for 2026. Although Salt Lake County is not a water provider or manager of water supply, the County is committed to highlighting how residents and businesses may be impacted by drought conditions from the winter's low snowpack year.

To help residents access important water-use information, Salt Lake County created an interactive map showing local water providers and any announced watering restrictions. The frequently updated map allows residents and businesses to quickly search their address to find their water provider and current restriction details. The map will continue to be updated throughout 2026 as restrictions change. View the map at SLCo.to/water.

"This will be a tough water year across the West. Salt Lake County doesn't control water rates or usage — but we do control how well we inform people. Small changes add up. If we're all a little smarter about water this year, we can deal with the shortage together." - Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson 

This year's runoff is significantly lower than in previous years, with runoff occurring nearly a month earlier than anticipated. Unusually low snowpack levels coupled with early runoff have resulted in what will be a peak runoff that is about 50% of normal.

"After listening to our water experts today I am more committed than ever to reduce watering my lawn, to shorten my showers, and to turn off water when brushing my teeth. I hope our county residents will do the same." - Aimee Winder Newton, Salt Lake County Council Chair

Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, which provides water to approximately 800,000 residents (through both wholesale and direct services), recently issued a Level 2 "Severe" notice. The notice calls for a 10% reduction in water use across its 17 member agencies. Additionally, surcharges will be applied if water volumes exceed 110% and 120% of allocated amounts.

"It's going to take all of us: all the businesses, all the residents of Salt Lake County. We all need to reduce our usage by 10% which really means aggressive reductions in your outdoor water use. 80% of the water use in the summer is outdoors. That's where we can make an impact." - Jacob Young, General Manager / CEO, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

Earlier this year, Salt Lake City Public Utilities announced a Stage 2 water advisory for its service area of approximately 360,000 residents. Under the advisory, city and government facilities are required to reduce water use, while residential customers are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water.

"A lot of our businesses, institutions, churches, and schools are models for our community. They should be demonstrating smart watering habits and lead the way in conservation." - Laura Briefer, Director, Salt Lake City Public Utilities 

For information on snowpack or watershed shed management, visit SLCo Watershed.

For information on regional water providers, visit Salt Lake City Public Utilities & Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District.