Utah Paying Farmers Millions To Protect Lake Powell Water
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Utah has launched a financial initiative to pay farmers not to grow crops as part of an effort to conserve water from the Colorado River and help stabilize Lake Powell, one of the West's most-vital reservoirs.
Why It Matters
The water preserved through this program will not be consumed locally but rather left in the Colorado River system to bolster Lake Powell, which hit historically low levels in recent years due to high demand and drought. The Colorado River system supplies water to some 40 million people.
The initiative comes amid increasing pressure from neighboring states and federal agencies for basin states to reach agreements on water management.
File photo: The Colorado River is viewed on October 3, 2023 near Moab, Utah.
File photo: The Colorado River is viewed on October 3, 2023 near Moab, Utah.What To Know
The "Utah Demand Management Pilot Program" will compensate agricultural producers in the Upper Colorado River Basin to temporarily stop irrigating their fields.
According to Fox 13, agricultural producers can earn up to $390 an acre foot to fallow crops or enact other conservation measures.
A spokesperson for the Colorado River Authority of Utah, who is administering the scheme, told Newsweek that participants are compensated for temporarily foregoing their water use or demand during the irrigation season.
Compensation rates vary depending on several factors, including crop type, water rights, and duration of nonuse, and are "designed to ensure fairness and encourage voluntary participation."
The payment structure is designed to ensure financial feasibility for participants while providing flexibility to accommodate a wide range of water users.
The Colorado River Authority of Utah said approximately $4.25 million has been allocated for the two-year pilot.
The authority added that interest has been strong among agricultural producers and irrigation companies. Of the 27 applications received, the authority approved four.
What People Are Saying
A spokesperson for The Colorado River Authority of Utah told Newsweek: "Funding is sourced exclusively from a 2023 state appropriation of $5 million for the pilot projects. We're committed to ensuring that public dollars are used responsibly and with measurable benefit to the river system."
Kevin Cotner, a Price area farmer, told FOX 13 News: "To me, it's just no different from taking a crop out and replacing it with a different crop. We're just not putting that crop in the ground."
Cotner added: "It's a conservation practice, the way we look at it, and it helps sustain us."
What Happens Next
The pilot's success will be assessed on factors such as water savings, participant diversity, administrative viability, and local economic impact, along with legal, operational, and hydrologic insights. The aim is to inform scalable or adaptable long-term strategies, not to establish a permanent program, the authority said.
An initial evaluation will follow the 2025 irrigation season.
The two-year pilot (2025-2026) allows second-year enrollment pending compliance with state water rights permitting.
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