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.

With just about three months to go until the 2025-26 college football season, a clear-cut favorite to win the Big 12 title at this stage of the offseason has yet to emerge.

It might just be that the league isn’t as top-heavy as some of the other power conferences around the country. Even then, parity should make for an intriguing conference championship race to monitor all throughout the regular season.

According to nationally-acclaimed analyst Phil Steele, the Big 12 could see a three-way tie atop the league’s standings. Utah, Baylor and Iowa State are projected to share the league’s regular season title in Steele’s preview of the conference, followed by Arizona State, Texas Tech and Kansas State in a tie for second place.

Steele has the Utes’ offensive line ranked No. 1 in the league, with three of its members featured on his all-conference teams. Spencer Fano is listed on Steele’s All-Big 12 First team as expected, while Caleb Lomu appears on the second team and Tanoa Togiai on the fourth team.

The Utes have another four on the defensive side of the ball mentioned on Steele’s All-Big 12 teams, including Landon Barton, Logan Fano, Dallas Vakalahi and Smith Snowden. Utah’s defensive units have received high praise from Steele, with its linebacker corps ranking No. 1 and its defensive line and defensive backs coming in at No. 3, respectively, among the Big 12’s other units.

Notably, Utah’s skill position groups weren’t as highly rated in Steele’s preview. The Utes’ running back room is ranked No. 10 in the Big 12 by Steele, while their wide receivers come in at No. 12. Utah’s quarterback room, headlined by New Mexico transfer Devon Dampier, is ranked as the fourth-best in the Big 12.

It’s anyone’s guess as to how the Big 12 will shake out in 2025. ESPN’s FPI projects Kansas State finishes atop the standings, with Arizona State, BYU, Kansas and TCU rounding out the top five. Granted, the FPI’s win projection totals aren’t separated by much — BYU, Kansas, TCU and Baylor all fall in the 8-9 win range.

In a year without a dominant preseason favorite to win the Big 12, perhaps an opportunity to rise to the top is upon the Utes this upcoming season.

MORE UTAH NEWS & ANALYSIS

Dear Utah Athletics Family,
 
It certainly is a new day in intercollegiate athletics, and the University of Utah is prepared to fully embrace it! The approval of the settlement in the House vs. NCAA case allows institutions to provide additional scholarships, enter into institutional Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements with student-athletes and devote even greater resources to help them develop their brand and maximize their earning potential in NIL, in addition to other elements of the settlement.
 
The settlement puts in place consistent guidelines and structure that serves as a road map for the years ahead, one which will allow us to serve our student-athletes in new ways and enhance their experience at the University of Utah with even more impactful opportunities.
 
I’m incredibly proud of the work that has been done by our tremendous Utah Athletics staff to prepare for this moment. That work includes a reorganization of our staff to create a dedicated team that will focus on delivering expanded resources and education to empower Utah student-athletes to be standout brand ambassadors and grow their own brands while thriving in the new opportunities afforded to them.
 
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN
We launched our comprehensive Elevate U program in June of 2021 to educate and equip our student-athletes with skills to maximize their opportunities in NIL once it became a permissible by the NCAA in July 2021.
 
Through Elevate U—and the eventual formation of the Crimson Collective and Who Rocks the House Collective—our student-athletes earned millions of dollars in NIL while participating in, and leading, meaningful service-focused events and activities in partnership with various charitable organizations throughout the Salt Lake valley. Through these opportunities provided by the Crimson Collective and Who Rocks the House Collective, our student-athletes spent nearly 7,500 hours helping 14 different organizations achieve their mission and goals. To date, our student-athletes have earned more than $10 million through these charitable NIL activities.
 
The success our student-athletes have experienced could not have been possible without the work of our incredible Utah supporters, who are passionate about our student-athletes and our sport programs, and who stepped forward and provided our student-athletes with tremendous opportunities to make an impact in our community and grow their brands.
 
WHERE WE ARE GOING
We are all-in on investing up to the maximum allowable in revenue share, which is approximately $20.5 million for 2025-26, though we are finalizing our plans for how the revenue will be shared. We also will add 23 new scholarships with a total value of $1.15 million, implement NIL contracts between the institution and student-athletes, and expand student-athlete endorsement opportunities with businesses and organizations.
 
Through our existing Elevate U program, we have increased our investment with the addition of a Brand Strategy and Governance team dedicated to providing Utah student-athletes comprehensive support as they build their brand, enter into non-exclusive contracts for limited-use rights to their NIL, and profit. You can learn more on that here.
 
In recent years, our athletics programs have enjoyed significant and sustained success, and we are committed to building upon that as we compete for championships at both the conference and national level. We have a renewed commitment to the culture of excellence that supports our student-athletes for success in the classroom, competition and community.
 
To further empower our student-athletes and enhance their experiences, I invite you to consider making a donation to the Crimson Club. Your support is vital in providing the resources necessary for our student-athletes to reach their full potential. Together, we can cultivate an environment of success and opportunity.
 
Thank you for all that you do!
 
Go Utes!

Mark Harlan