West Desert Basin
(August 13)

Overall the agricultural irrigation supplies this season are about 60% of normal. The West Desert Basin has three major storage reservoirs. They are Vernon Creek, Settlement Canyon and Grantsville reservoirs. Combined they have a total storage capacity of nearly 5,000 acre-feet. Currently, the combined storage is about half. Also some smaller storage reservoirs store water for farmers in the Snowville area. These reservoirs are at about average capacity for this time of year. Municipal supplies are okay. However, several secondary water providers have instituted watering restrictions.

Raft River/Clear Creek
The Clear Creek area has definitely felt the effects of the drought the last several years. They have no storage, so they rely strictly on direct stream flows and with the snow pack so low the last few years they have had a difficult time irrigating their normal croplands. This year the snow pack was about average so they have fared slightly better this season. Some culinary wells in the area had to be deepened.

Northern West Desert
Snowville and Park Valley areas have seen the effects from the drought the last several years. However, since Snowville area farmers have some reservoir storage and a large volume of water is pumped from groundwater sources, they have been able to get about 70% of their normal harvest. Park Valley has no storage and the harvest this year is well below normal. Much like last year. Culinary wells in both areas have been adequate this season.

Tooele and Grantsville
Both Tooele and Grantsville cities are asking residents not to water lawns between 10am and 6pm with the culinary water systems. Grantsville Reservoir is currently about half of it’s total capacity of 3,300 acre-feet. Irrigators in the area are receiving about 50% of their normal watering turns (similar to last year). Residential customers of the Grantsville Irrigation Co. are allowed to water one spot no longer than 1.5 hours and not between 10am and 6pm. Tooele residents using Settlement Canyon Irrigation water are on restrictions based on the location of their homes. These restrictions were placed on customers at the end of June and will remain in place until the end of the season..

Rush Valley and Vernon
Rush Valley has seen the effects of the drought the last several years. However, this season Vernon Reservoir filled and their harvest will be about normal. Culinary wells have been adequate.

Wendover
Wendover has adequate supplies this season and they don't anticipate any water shortages. They are in a very unique situation in that they are connected to the West Wendover, Nevada system and if they run short of water, they can buy water from West Wendover, Nevada which has surplus supplies from it's wells.