05/27/2026
Utahns are getting the short end of the stick again by federal water mismanagement.
The Feds just ordered up to 1 million acre-feet (~325 billion gallons) released from Flaming Gorge to prop up Lake Powell for downstream users. This hits our recreation, fisheries, and economy hard, all while Utah bears the pain.
California tore down dozens of dams and reservoirs (including major Klamath removals) and now relies on our Upper Basin sacrifices. Meanwhile, Utah hasn’t built a major new reservoir since the late 1980s, Jordanelle and a few others wrapped up the old Central Utah Project era.
Our population has doubled since then, meaning ~50% less storage per person. Colorado keeps adding big ones like Chimney Hollow. We pray for rain and get told to conserve.
This isn’t sustainable. Water rights are property rights. We shouldn’t be paying farmers not to farm so California can keep wasting water after dismantling their own storage. Federal overreach, environmental red tape, and downstream demands are strangling our rural economy and future growth.
Utah needs real solutions: more storage infrastructure we control, active forest management to boost water yield, protecting senior rights, and putting Utah producers first, not bureaucrats in D.C. or special interests.
No more sacrificing our state to bail out bad policies elsewhere.
Utahns know how to steward our resources. Time to demand local control and common sense.