GUNNISON, Utah — As drought conditions across the state worsen, with many in central Utah already feeling the impact, state leaders are preparing to offer relief to farmers. The Utah Department of Agriculture claims help is on the way for what’s expected to be one of the toughest growing seasons in years.

Longtime central Utah farmer Allen Dyreng says this year stands out.

“I’ve seen years close to this, but not this bad. This is the worst year,” Dyreng said.

Dyreng pointed to dramatically low reservoir levels in Gunnison, where water supplies are far below normal.

“Right now, our reservoirs are at 7% of capacity. We have 1,800 acre-feet of water in storage, and we usually have 23,000,” he said. “They’ll likely be emptied by the first of June.”

The situation marks a sharp contrast from just a few years ago.

In 2021, the Gunnison Reservoir ran completely dry. By 2023, improved runoff briefly brought some relief, with water levels partially recovering. But now, conditions have reversed again.

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Dyreng is now retired but was president of Gunnison Irrigation Company for about 20 years and farmed land for nearly five decades that had been in his family for generations. He said the lack of water will significantly reduce how much land farmers can use this season.

“We normally are able to grow crops on 14,000 acres,” Dyrent explained. “We would be lucky this year to have crops on 5,000 acres.”

The state is working to prevent long-term damage to Utah’s agricultural industry.

“Water is their lifeblood,” said Kelly Pehrson, commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture. “We don’t want to lose farms in Utah.”

Utah is expecting an emergency disaster declaration that would open the door to low-interest loans and additional support programs, including grazing improvement and water optimization grants.

“We’ve got to figure out a way to bring hope back to them,” Pehrson said. “This is going to be a tough year. No doubt about it.”

Drought conditions continue to intensify across the region. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of Utah is now experiencing extreme to exceptional drought, with conditions worsening in just the past week.

For farmers, the impact goes far beyond inconvenience.

“I think this year we will deliver the least amount of water on record,” Dyreng said. “It cuts pretty deep into every aspect of the economy down here.”

State leaders say they plan to meet directly with farmers in communities across Utah later this month to better understand the needs and connect them with available resources.

More information can be found at ag.utah.gov.

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