OGDEN — The Weber Basin Water Conservancy District is responding to the ongoing, historic drought conditions within the Weber Basin drainage by proposing tentative new water restrictions for the upcoming irrigation season.

Restrictions, posted on the district’s website, could include timed watering of lawns and gardens once a week, no installation of new landscapes, delayed pressurization and early shutoff of the secondary irrigation/agricultural system as well as further reductions on agricultural, wholesale and retail water contracts.

According to General Manager Scott Paxman, the Weber Basin board of trustees will make a decision regarding the tentative restrictions on March 31.

He said reservoirs are currently 39% full — far below the norm. “It’s not going to be a good year,” he said.

While recent storms have been helpful to much needed moisture along the Wasatch Front, Paxman said it is doing very little for the water supply storage.

If it doesn’t rain above the district’s reservoirs, it doesn’t help them. “It helps Salt Lake, tremendously,” he said. In order for reservoirs servicing Weber Basin to fill, storms are needed along the Wasatch Back.

Pineview Reservoir General Manager Ben Quick was not immediately available for comment.

Recent storms, however, have helped snowpack, with the last storm providing a 3% increase. While snowpack is slightly lower at 73% than the same time last year, soil moisture is up in comparison.

“It’s not like July 2015, where it just kept raining,” he said.

According to Paxman, the soil was so dry last year that snowmelt was quickly absorbed into the ground before it could reach reservoirs.

Paxman said he attributes the dismal water levels to two consecutive years of severe drought conditions. Last year, the district experienced record-low water levels.

Allocation of water provided by the district is expected to be cut by up to 60% for wholesale and retail secondary irrigation contracts.

Secondary water is usually turned on between April 15 and Oct. 15. According to Paxman, the district is considering delaying the pressurization of secondary water until May.

Secondary water is untreated, unfiltered and used for irrigation of outdoor residential landscaping and gardening, but is not suitable for human consumption.

The district provides monthly reports to those using secondary water who have a meter. Reports are intended to help users make informed decisions regarding water usage. Estimated need values on reports vary by month and user depending on irrigated area and daily weather conditions.

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