SALT LAKE CITY — A program designed to get farmers to switch to new water-saving technologies is showing signs of success, lawmakers on Utah's Capitol Hill were told during a budget hearing.
During a hearing of the Utah State Legislature's Natural Resources Appropriations Committee, Utah's Department of Agriculture & Food reported the agriculture water optimization program, which helps farmers buy new irrigation equipment that's more water-efficient, has resulted in roughly 100,000 acre-feet per year of savings.
Sen. Scott Sandall, R-Tremonton, believes a lot of that water is getting to the Great Salt Lake.
"I say yes, simply because it didn't go in a ditch and didn't get diverted and the water stayed in the river," he told reporters. "When we're asked what are we doing to save the Great Salt Lake? We're doing a lot of things. This is one of them."
So far, $153 million in a mixture of state and private funds has been spent on agriculture optimization, according to a new dashboard unveiled by the state agriculture department. Roughly 689 projects across Utah have been funded, though not all of them have been fully implemented.
Agriculture, which is the state's top water user, has been a frequent target of critics who believe state leaders are not doing enough to save the Great Salt Lake, which is once again declining. On Utah's Capitol Hill, lawmakers have passed dozens of bills and spent roughly $1 billion on water conservation measures to help the lake and the Colorado River.
"We're seeing a lot of benefit," Sen. Sandall said.
