“This is not the type of record we like to break,” Utah DNR Executive Director Joel Ferry said in a statement.
“Urgent action is needed to help protect and preserve this critical resource. It’s clear the lake is in trouble. We recognize more action and resources are needed, and we are actively working with the many stakeholders who value the lake.”
...southern Europeans are feeling the consequences of more extreme heat waves and longer droughts.
Now governments from Portugal to Italy are calling on citizens to limit water use to the bare minimum. But in some places this is not enough.
While private consumption of water in the EU accounts for just 9% of total usage, around 60% is absorbed by agriculture.
"Droughts are one thing," said Nihat Zal, a water expert at the European Environment Agency (EEA), which informs EU environment policy. "The other is how much water we take out of the system."
Italy
The situation is probably most dramatic in northern Italy, where the region is suffering its worst drought in 70 years. More than 100 cities have been called on to limit water consumption as much as possible. On Monday, the Italian government declared a state of emergency for five regions until the end of the year. It plans to provide €36 million ($37 million) in the short term to combat the water crisis.
Due to months of drought and scarce winter rain, the water levels of the Dora Baltea and Po — the largest river in Italy — are eight times lower than usual.
Both rivers feed one of the most important agricultural regions in all of Europe, with 30% of production currently threatened by drought.
The irrigation authority in the northwestern region around the Sesia river has already ordered that fruit trees and poplars no longer be watered. The saved water will be used to irrigate the economically important rice crop.
Portugal
Portugal started to prepare for an extremely dry year back in winter. At the start of 2022, a lack of rainfall and low water levels in dams prompted the government to restrict the use of hydroelectric power plants to two hours per week. The goal is to guarantee the drinking water supply for Portugal's 10 million inhabitants for at least two years.
What became apparent during the winter is all the more evident today. By the end of May, severe drought already prevailed in 97% of the country.
Due to the burning of coal, oil and gas, droughts that normally occur only once every 10 years have already become almost twice as likely in the Mediterranean region. Some regions are experiencing the worst dry season in a thousand years.
The association for agricultural irrigation in the towns of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão in southern Portugal has already activated an emergency plan under which 1,800 farms have to halve the irrigation of some crops.
Spain
Spain is also extremely dry, with two-thirds of its total land area at risk of desertification. Once fertile soils are increasingly turning to sand, especially after the second driest winter since 1961, according to Spain's meteorological bureau.
In the north, 17 localities were forced to take drastic measures as early as February, with the town of Campelles in Catalonia limiting running water to a few hours per day. For emergencies, the municipality deposited water buckets filled daily at five locations in the village.
In the small town of Vacarisses in the province of Barcelona, wells and groundwater pipes are also dry. Currently, people only have running water between six and ten in the morning, and from eight in the evening until midnight.
Spain is the third largest producer of agricultural products in the EU. At least 70% of all fresh water is used for agriculture.
"The demand doesn’t stop growing," said Juan Barea of Greenpeace Spain. "Instead of proposing policies that save water we are acting as if Spain had as much water as Norway or Finland. In reality, we are more on the level of North Africa."
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