Governor Spencer Cox issued a statewide drought emergency declaration on May 21, following a period of historically poor snowpack and worsening runoff forecasts that have left nearly 95% of Utah in severe drought or worse.
Details of statewide emergency order
The statewide order activates the state's emergency operations plan and directs a drought response committee to review necessary actions for interagency coordination. While the declaration encourages voluntary conservation measures—such as fixing irrigation leaks and using drought-tolerant landscaping—it does not impose mandatory statewide restrictions, as Governor Cox noted that enforcement remains with local municipalities and water providers.
Grand County local emergency measures
In Grand County, the Commission unanimously approved its own drought emergency declaration on May 19. Unlike the statewide order, the Grand County declaration is retroactive to April 1, a move intended to help local farmers and ranchers qualify for emergency assistance for costs incurred earlier this spring.
Extreme drought conditions in Grand County
Grand County Emergency Management Director Kate Finley reported that all of Grand County is currently classified in D3, or extreme drought, by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Finley noted that a dry winter and an unusually warm spring caused conditions to deteriorate rapidly during March.
Low snowpack and river forecasts
According to data from the National Weather Service office in Grand Junction, Colorado, snow monitoring sites in the La Sal Mountains reached record-low snow water equivalent by March 11 and melted out before the typical peak period. Finley also stated that water supply forecasts for the Colorado and Dolores rivers were below 30% of average.
Widespread impacts across Utah
The drought's impact is widespread across the state. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows that over 60% of Utah is experiencing extreme or exceptional drought. Recent reports from the Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Utah Snow Survey program described the 2026 season as Utah's worst snowpack season dating back to at least 1930.
Critical water supply shortages
A federal water supply outlook found that southeastern Utah snowpack had dropped to 0% of normal by May 1 due to rapid spring melt. Additionally, the Moab basin ranked in the 3rd percentile statewide for projected surface water supply conditions.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture previously issued a natural disaster designation for most of Utah in April, providing farmers and ranchers access to emergency loans. The Grand County declaration will remain in effect until the commission terminates it.
