IF WE WANT GROWTH, WE NEED WATER SOLUTIONS: Water-related issues could put the economic future of Utah at risk.

• Position: AMENITIES

Utah water levels continue to lower, this issue can pressure our already inflated economy.

The Great Salt Lake alone impacts over $ 1.5 billion of our economy, driven by strategic mineral extraction from its waters. The lake is a rich repository of lithium, titanium, magnesium, and potash --essential elements in producing everything from medical devices to rechargeable batteries and crop fertilizer. Nearly 7,000 local jobs are directly reliant upon the lake.

Saving For A Rainy Day

In July, the Great Salt Lake and Lake Powell were at their lowest levels ever. And although winter months saw snowfall and watersheds are no longer in the red alert stage for snowpack, a persistent portion of the state does remain in extreme drought.

Candice Hasenyager, director of the Utah Division of Water Resources explains that one of the reasons this is so important is because about 95 percent of our water supply comes from our snowpack. "That snow held up in the mountains all winter melts, runs down the watersheds and starts filling our reservoirs. Our reservoirs operated just as they should have this last year, right? We built them to capture high flows to use indirectly during wet and dry years. The only thing is that we must make sure to have enough for our inevitable future dry years," says Hasenyager.

The Great Salt Lake is an essential point of discussion because, although not drinkable, it is considered a canary in the coal mine. The winter's snow melts and slides down to the reservoirs, and the refuse ends up in the Great Salt Lake. In an average good year, the lake rises two to three feet. This year, it only climbed six inches. If the lake rises to high levels, communities can be confident that they will have enough water for their needs. If it doesn't, communities need to know there might be issues for local economies and environments.

Although the lack of water is felt in both the economy and environment, the government is not placing any limitations or regulations on the private sector to keep the state as business-friendly as possible.

"Turf removal and linear outdoor landscaping is the biggest opportunity for businesses, homeowners, and people within cities," says Laura Hanson, State Planning Coordinator for the Utah Governor's Office of Planning and Budget. "We have a kind of cultural expectation here of having a lush green lawn. We live in a desert in a drought. That's probably not the most appropriate choice long term."

Hanson's...