Utah
Most of Utah is in drought. How will that impact fishing this summer?
Utah’s reservoir system remains about 86% full, but some reservoirs aren’t nearly as full as they were this time a year ago.
Upper and Lower Enterprise reservoirs near Enterprise, Washington County, for example, are already down to 30% and 36%, respectively, according to state data. The Upper Enterprise Reservoir level is approximately 40 percentage points below its level last June.
State wildlife officials also increased the daily fishing limit at Crouse Reservoir in Uintah County last month when its levels dropped to 20% of capacity, meaning that the reservoir could run dry. With drought in place and a poor spring runoff, other ponds, lakes and small reservoirs across the state could experience similar problems this year, which could reduce fishing opportunities or even access at certain ramps.
It could also have an impact on fish, which is why Utah Division of Wildlife Resources officials are reminding anglers about the impacts of drought in fishing as water conditions inch closer to what the state experienced between 2020 and 2022.
Lower water levels cause bodies of water to warm up faster, which reduces the amount of oxygen in the water, says Trina Hedrick, the division’s sportfish coordinator. That can create all sorts of problems for the fish in the water.
“The combination of high temperatures and low oxygen can stress many coldwater fish species — like trout — which causes poor growth and disease,” she said in a statement. “Fish can also die when temperatures are too warm or the oxygen levels get too low.”
It’s why division allowed anglers to catch more fish at Crouse Reservoir, but the agency expects that bodies of water across southern Utah are most likely to have these types of impacts this year.
As for catching and releasing species, division experts recommend that anglers fish closer to dawn or dusk, when the temperatures are cooler. They also recommend that people release the fish in a deeper part of the pond, lake or reservoir they were caught in because the water is often cooler there, and they’re more likely to survive.
“Basically, try not to fish near little coves that have shallow, stagnant warm water,” Hedrick said.
The division urges anglers to take other steps to decrease stress. These include:
- Use single hooks on lures and bend down their barbs for easy release.
- Limit as much time fighting a fish while reeling it in, as well as time handling the fish. Use rubber or coated nylon nets to protect a fish’s slime layer and fins.
- Use forceps or needle-nosed pliers to remove a hook quickly. Don’t pull on the line if the fish is deeply hooked. Instead, cut the line as close to the hook as possible.
- Allow the fish to recover in the net before releasing it.
- Gently move a finish back and forth if it doesn’t stay upright when you release it. Consider harvesting it if it doesn’t, but only if it’s within the legal daily limit for that species.
A Utah physician is warning that 21 data centers in various stages of development could significantly worsen air quality along the Wasatch Front.
Dr. Brian Moench, with Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, said the planned data centers are cause for alarm. Each facility is expected to generate its own electricity using natural gas power plants.
While natural gas is cleaner than coal, Moench said it still produces nitrogen oxide, which contributes significantly to ozone, particulate formation, and smog.
“There’s no safe level of air pollution. All of it is harmful, even at the very lowest doses,” Moench said.
Moench said health advocates have legitimate reasons to be concerned about what the facilities could mean for public health in the region.
“There is a real legitimate concern on the part of any health advocates about what this impact will mean to the Wasatch Front and public health if all these data centers are built or even if just a few of them are, and that’s not to address the impact on the Great Salt Lake shrinking up and becoming a toxic dust bowl. That’s the next leg of this argument,” he said.
Moench also raised concerns about electronic waste. As computer chips and equipment become obsolete and are replaced, he said the volume of e-waste produced is something no one has yet addressed.
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UTAH COUNTY, May 11, 2026 (Gephardt Daily) — Two males, ages 14 and 19, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after the side-by-side they were riding rolled down the side of a mountain.
Utah County Sheriff deputies and Santaquin police responded to the 6:07 p.m. call. Two medical helicopters were called to the scene, in the Pole Canyon area, as was a Department of Public Safety helicopter with a hoist in case it was needed, Sgt. Austin Edwards, Utah County Sheriff‘s Office, told Gephardt Daily.
“Eventually, rescue workers were able to make it to the spot on the hill where the vehicle had come to rest, and they were able to secure the victims, stabilize the victims, and get them back down the hill again to where the helicopters were waiting,” Edwards said.
“The 19-year-old male was transported to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, and the 14 year old was transported to Primary Children’s in Lehi.”
Both were said to have critical injuries, which were not considered to be life threatening, Edwards said.
“The cause of the rollover is still under investigation, so we don’t have that information available just yet.”
Photos: Utah County Sheriff
In what has a chance to be one of the most important nights in Jazz history, the Utah Jazz jumped in the NBA Lottery to the #2 spot for the upcoming NBA draft.
Here are the final results, which show all the movement.
Aside from it being a massive night for the Wizards, Jazz, Grizzlies, and Bulls, it was a devastating night for a few teams, but no one more than the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers, in their trade for Ivica Zubac, had a stipulation on their pick that if the pick was top-4 they kept it. But if it fell below 4, they would give it to the Clippers which is exactly what happened. Now, the Clippers, who are without Zubac, find themselves with a #5 pick to build around.
For the Jazz this is a culmination of four years of rebuilding that ends with an extremely satisfying end. Utah will now have one of the tier-1 players from this draft: AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. The player Utah drafts will be one of their cornerstone pieces and will have the chance to not only play, but be a part of a team that will be competing for the playoffs this season.
The Utah Jazz now have a Sinister Six core: Darryn Peterson (If AJ Dybantsa goes #1), Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Walker Kessler (if he signs). It’s quite the core with a mix of youth and veterans in their prime. With this group, the Jazz will have a chance to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Yes, the Thunder and Spurs are going to be difficult to beat, but Utah has the mix of talent, coaching, and depth that could absolutely do the trick.
Now the Utah Jazz look forward to the NBA Draft that be on June 23rd. Let the posturing begin!!
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