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Cox says Utah, other Western states will have to cut back on Colorado River use

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Cox says Utah, other Western states will have to cut back on Colorado River use


Gov. Spencer Cox speaks at his month-to-month information convention on the Eccles Broadcast Middle, on Thursday. Cox mentioned states alongside the Colorado River Basin should in the reduction of use simply primarily based on logistics. (Rick Egan)

Estimated learn time: 4-5 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Spencer Cox made it clear Thursday that Utah and different states should scale back the quantity of water they take from the Colorado River within the foreseeable future because the West’s ongoing drought persists.

The governor, talking at his month-to-month PBS Utah briefing with Utah journalists Thursday, paraphrased feedback from Gene Shawcroft, the chairman of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, about the way forward for the river.

“We all know that we’re by no means going to get what was our justifiable share, what we have now been promised, as a result of the hydrology is simply not there,” Cox mentioned. “We actually hope that it will likely be sometime, however it isn’t proper now.”

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He asserted that the Decrease Basin states have used greater than their allocation than the Higher Basin states, together with Utah. On the identical time, he identified that there is “not sufficient” for all of the states’ allocations primarily based on present situations and outlooks.

“We’re all going to have to chop again,” he mentioned. “The query can be how are we going to pretty distribute that cutback among the many states? These are the conversations which are ongoing.”

His feedback come days after the Division of Inside and Bureau of Reclamation launched their 24-month outlook of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which, mixed, are at about 28% capability because of ongoing drought over the previous 20 years. Their outlook included 2023 plans, which embrace a 21% discount in water allotted to Arizona, an 8% discount in water to Nevada and a 7% discount in water allotted to Mexico.

The businesses additionally referred to as on states to voluntarily scale back water consumption after asking states earlier this 12 months to seek out methods to cut back consumption by 2 million to 4 million acre-feet.

This summer season’s monsoons have helped drought situations in Utah and the West, however drought situations nonetheless persist all through many of the area. The U.S. Drought Monitor’s weekly report Thursday lists about two-thirds of the Beehive State in at the least excessive drought, which is down almost 14 proportion factors from final week’s report. All components of the state stay in at the least a average drought.

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About 70% of all the West is listed in at the least a average drought, with one other 16% thought-about “abnormally dry” in the intervening time. At the least half of the area, which incorporates 11 states, is experiencing at the least extreme drought situations.

This performs into traits of the previous 20 years. Christopher Cutler, the supervisor of the Water and Energy Providers Division on the Bureau of Reclamation, mentioned Tuesday that the Colorado River Basin is in the course of its driest 23-year stretch on file. Scientists confirmed earlier this 12 months that this two-decade span, known as a “megadrought,” is the area’s worst in at the least 1,200 years.

All of this might additionally play into new development in Utah and throughout the West.

Cox has up to now supported the Lake Powell Pipeline, which conservation teams have pushed again towards. The mission would create a pipeline from Lake Powell to southwest Utah, offering extra water for one of many fastest-growing metro areas within the nation.

The present state of affairs has made it tough to maneuver ahead. The governor identified that there are two methods to ensure water for each new constructing allow within the state, which is a state legislation: new sources of water, like new reservoirs, or decreasing water use per capita. Proper now, the latter is the out there choice — although Cox mentioned he is hopeful new choices will emerge sooner or later.

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“Our means to develop — not simply in southern Utah however all through Utah — can be strictly dependant on our means to verify we have now sufficient water out there,” he mentioned. “I do suspect that if the drought continues sooner or later, there most likely can be just a few pockets the place (pausing new constructing permits) is perhaps the case.”

When requested about piping water into the state, whether or not to accommodate Utah’s development or to offer water to the shrinking Nice Salt Lake, Cox added that he is unsure what the feasibility is. He mentioned that is why research are being accomplished to determine prospects and even prices.

However given the area’s points over the previous 20 years, Utah is not alone in having these kinds of conservations. Drought has additionally emerged at instances throughout different states. In actual fact, the U.S. Drought Monitor lists about two-thirds of all the nation as “abnormally dry” and almost half in at the least some stage of drought.

It is why he believes any water pipeline in Utah must be part of some kind of community involving a number of states.

“We’re not on an island right here. This isn’t a Utah drought, this can be a Western United States drought,” he mentioned. “We’re not the one ones taking a look at these questions. Nevada, California, Arizona — we’re all attempting to grasp, are there different methods to do that?”

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Carter Williams is an award-winning reporter who covers basic information, outside, historical past and sports activities for KSL.com. He beforehand labored for the Deseret Information. He’s a Utah transplant by the way in which of Rochester, New York.

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Utah

Utah T-Mobile customers experience service outage

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Utah T-Mobile customers experience service outage


An apparent service outage has affected T-Mobile customers in Utah.

Customers went on social media Tuesday to note that their service has been disrupted. People posting on X reported outages stretching from St. George to Ogden.

The website TechRadar reported Tuesday that T-Mobile had experienced some 19,500 outages in a less than an hour, according to the online tool Down Detector. Most of the outages — which are affecting both T-Mobile and Mint Mobile customers — were in Utah locations, Down Detector found.

Just after 2 p.m., the company said there was a “brief mechanical issue that impacted connectivity” but it has since been resolved.

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“We apologize for the inconvenience,” the company said in a statement.

Click here to read full story from the Salt Lake Tribune





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Mountain Bike Mania: Pedaling Utah Tourism

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Mountain Bike Mania: Pedaling Utah Tourism


SALT LAKE CITY — A growing number of Utah high schools have about as many mountain bike racers as football players. That surprising development becomes obvious at the starting line of weekend races.

“We are the largest youth cycling organization in the nation,” said Dallen Atack, board president of the Utah High School Cycling League.

Just 10 years ago, there were 320 riders. Now more than 7,500 students compete.

“I love being out there all the time,” said Morgan High School rider Blair Erickson.

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Riders aren’t the only ones who love high school mountain biking.

“They have an incredible impact on our community,” said Maria Twitchell, director of Visit Cedar City, Brian Head Tourism Bureau.

“It bolsters the community because they have to eat and get gas and stay,” said Dennis Jorgensen, mountain bike organizer in Richfield.

Mountain bike races held among the ridges of Richfield, the peaks of Price and the vistas of Vernal bring thousands of visitors who likely wouldn’t otherwise come to these small Utah towns.

“From fast food to sit down, our restaurants are full,” said Price Mayor Michael Kourianos.

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In Richfield, traffic and hotel parking lots are filled with cars carrying valuable cargo.

“Any time you drive down main street, you see a van or car with bikes on the back of it, and that didn’t use to be the case,” said Carson DeMille, chairman of the Richfield Trail Committee.

A pair of cars transporting multiple bikes each shown outside a restaurant. Utah locals say it’s now common to see bike racks when driving down main streets, and that wasn’t always the case. (Courtesy Ashley Burr)

What’s become clear in city after city, is that on race weekends, huge open fields have become paydirt:

  • $1,000,000 in Price
  • $1,800,000 in Cedar City
  • $500,000 in Richfield.

So no surprise, small towns all over Utah are racing to build tracks of their own.

Tracks have existed for a number of years in Richfield, Cedar City, Vernal, Price, St George, Manti, Beaver Mountain, Eagle Mountain and Soldier Hollow.

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More recently, trails have come online in Mantua, Herriman and Beaver. And new trails have come or are coming to Tooele, Panguitch and Gunnison.  Morgan has a track in the works.

A map showing Utah counties and the many bike trails that have been established. (KSL TV)

The cities of Price and Herriman are working on second tracks.

“It’s pretty competitive. We don’t really talk about it, but on our end, we try to take care of those race directors,” said Lesh Coltharp, director of Tourism and Events for Uintah County.

Ahead of the races, big open fields of dirt turn into mini cities of high school staging tents. There’s a reason these races are more suited to rural Utah than established ski resorts and trail areas.

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“We do have specific standards on how long the course needs to be,” said Michelle Lyman, race director for region 2.

They need broad tracks that are 4-6 miles, about 500 feet in elevation, with nothing too steep or too narrow.

But the number one requirement:

“We need to have at least 1,000 parking spaces to hold one of our races,” Atack said.

Many cities combine private, county and BLM lands with donations, county and state grants to build their tracks.

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It’s more than just economics that fuels mountain biking mania. Unlike most high school sports, everyone gets to compete. No one sits on the sidelines.

“Nobody rides the bench, is one of our favorite mottos of the league,” Atack said.

These tracks provide a valuable source of recreation and opportunity for kids, especially in small towns.

“I knew that if we could get these kids riding it would change their lives,” said Dennis Jorgensen, of Richfield.

“We’re building athletes.  And those athletes turn to lifetime users and recreationists and come back year after year and bring their kids,” added Maria Twitchell, of Cedar City.

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In many cities, trail maintenance can also become a part-time, high school job.

Since mountain biking isn’t a high school-sanctioned sport, the need for parent volunteers is great. They require a 1:6 coach-to-student ratio, just to ride on the trails.

“This is a sport where parents can practice and ride right alongside their kids, support them in the day,” Lyman said.

So, while mountain biking is changing the face of high school sports for thousands of families, it is also putting Utah towns on the map for tourism.

“Word of mouth continues to grow, so the impact is much larger than we anticipated,” said Amy Myers, Sevier County tourism director.

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“When the community benefits,” Jorgensen said, “We all benefit.”



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Community clothing swaps help families make ends meet in Utah County

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Community clothing swaps help families make ends meet in Utah County


OREM, Utah — Stepping up to help each other make ends meet, the Orem community is helping families get things they need this winter through a clothing swap.

Monday evening at Lakeridge Junior High, families picked out items and filled bags with clothes, jackets, shoes, books and more.

“It’s a blessing to be here, to be able to have them get the clothes they need and be able to give back too,” said Alyssa Dixon, a mom of three. “As a single mom, it’s really hard to support and especially for how expensive prices are, with inflation, gas prices, everything going on, it is really hard to do that extra thing of clothes they want and clothes they need.”

All the items are donated by others in the community. The free clothing swap was hosted by the Alpine School District’s outreach team.

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“It’s for everybody in the community,” said Alyson Madsen, the community outreach coordinator for the Alpine School District. “Whether you have school-aged kids or not.”

Families brought clothes their kids outgrew or don’t wear anymore, and got to pick up new ones.

“It feels pretty good because you don’t have to pay for it,” said Lia Atondo, an eighth-grader at Lakeridge.

Last year, the swap was only at one school. This year they expanded to more schools because they saw a need and have been collecting donations since September.

“It’s filling a need,” added Madsen. “It’s filling something that ordinarily they couldn’t get on their own for their own family. And it makes me emotional sometimes because it’s just something that we can provide that they can’t for themselves.”

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Kids get to pick out their own clothes, which helps them feel more confident, with the opportunity to express their own style. Plus, staying warm in the winter is now one less thing these families need to worry about.

“Going through the battles of life, it’s just super helpful,” added Dixon.

There’s another clothing swap this Friday at Orem Junior High School that’s open to the public. And if you want to help, they need more winter coats. Donations can be dropped off at the school before or during the event from 6-8 p.m.





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