ST. GEORGE, Utah — Most Utahns have been thinking more about rain or snow over the last few days and not a drought, but in southern Utah it’s still dry, as in drier than it’s ever been.
Zach Renstrom oversees much of the water supply for the southern portion of the state as general manager for the Washington County Water Conservancy. On Thursday, while FOX 13 News was wrapping up an interview for another story, Renstrom shared an interesting and worrisome fact.
"It really has been the driest winter since 1895. That is something," Renstrom shared.
As far as records are concerned, it’s never been drier in southern Utah.
"When we say 1895, the records just stop at that point," explained Renstrom.
The news may seem a little surprising to some in the area, especially when it rained Thursday. But like canaries in a coalmine, local farmers knew before anyone else. Hurricane farmer Stuart Stout told Fox 13 as much in late January.
Some southern Utah reservoirs at concerning water levels:
"I just turned 50, so I've been farming out here my whole life and it's as dry for this time of year as I've ever seen it," said Red Angus Ranch owner Stuard Stout in late January.
Thanks to El Niño bringing wetter weather patterns the last two years, Renstrom said local reservoirs should have enough to sustain the area through the hot summer on the horizon. Even so, reservoir levels in the area are the lowest in the state, with some sitting just above 50% capacity.
The Ivins Reservoir alone is about seven feet below capacity.
The entire rain season from October until Friday is about 1.08 inches, which has not exactly made a dent, and that’s the problem Renstrom explained.
"It’s just never been recorded this dry."
