The Utah Division of Water Resources provides comprehensive water planning for the state, summarized through the State Water Plan. The State Water Plan is currently undergoing an overhaul and update to reflect new regional conservation goals.
River Basin Planning Overview
As part of the State Water Plan series, River Basin Plans are utilized to guide water-related planning and management across 11 river basins in Utah. These plans summarize key data and address important issues for future water planning efforts.
List of Active River Basins
The active river basin plans include the Bear River Basin (2004), Cedar/Beaver Basin (1995), Jordan River Basin (2010), Kanab/Virgin River Basin (1993), Southeast Colorado River Basin (2000), Sevier River Basin (1999), Uintah River Basin (2016), Utah Lake Basin (2014), Weber River Basin (2009), West Colorado River Basin (2000), and West Desert Basin (2001).
Recent Infrastructure and Funding Studies
Recent special studies conducted by the division include an October 2025 infrastructure fee study under HB 280 to evaluate funding for water projects, as well as a November 2024 study regarding existing funds for water development. Additionally, an SB 34 infrastructure funding study from November 2024 evaluated using property tax revenue for drinking and irrigation water costs.
Additional Regional and Climate Studies
Other notable studies cover the regional economic values of the Bear River (2024), impacts on Bear Lake storage (2020), and climate change adaptation strategies in Utah (2020).
Data Collection and Conservation Efforts
The division's work also encompasses water data collection, development analysis, and conservation efforts. This includes the Statewide Water Infrastructure Plan Second Edition (2020) and regional conservation goals established in 2019 for municipal and industrial water use.
