Earth Day in Ogden, Utah

In 2022, Utah recorded its hottest Summer since the National Weather Service started keeping records. For much of the last decade, the Beehive State has lingered in a state of drought. In fact, for 8 of the last 10 years, the State has hovered somewhere in the moderate-to-severe-to-extreme levels of drought, according to the agency.

Residents exercised water-saving measures throughout 2022…cutting back on watering of lawns and other landscaping, shortening showers, re-using linens between laundering, letting it mellow when it’s yellow, etc.

Reservoirs dropped to some of their lowest levels ever, resulting in algae blooms that forced public health officials to order the closure of popular areas to boaters, paddlers, and swimmers. The world-famous Great Salt Lake shrunk to its lowest level in history and efforts to reverse the trend have become one of the primary topics of discussion in the state.

Utah’s first snowfall came on October 23rd. A bit more came on November 2nd, 5th, and 8th. On November 29th, the real storms started coming…and they haven’t stopped.

The ’22-’23 ski season has broken every snowpack record in the book in levels of both depth and water content. All three of our area resorts have reported all-time-high snowfall totals, with Snowbasin gliding into the end of the season with more than 600 inches of snowfall and still counting.

Mountain snowpack is Ogden’s primary source of water, so a record-setting Winter in the midst of a decade-long drought has been celebrated. However, meteorologists, water managers, politicians, old timers, and climate models all warn that we’re not out of the woods yet. Water conservation efforts similar to last year will likely continue in an effort to rescue the nearby, shrinking Great Salt Lake, maintain crucial mountain reservoirs and replenish groundwater.

Such climate extremes in such a short span of time, from the hottest Summer to the most intense Winter ever recorded…all within a few, short months…should sound alarm bells and raise red flags, or at least eyebrows.

But Mother Nature isn’t done with us yet.

Snowfall is different than snowpack. While some Utah ski resorts tout “snowfall” numbers in excess of 800” (that’s around 70 feet), water managers are more interested in closely measuring the actual water content contained in the “snowpack.” Currently, the Wasatch Mountains are holding nearly 30” of water…and as we celebrate Earth Day, Ogden-area run-off is just getting started.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you shake off that cabin fever and step outside to celebrate Earth in and around Ogden:

• Stay away from streams and rivers, especially with kids or pets.

The spectacle of record snowpack melting into raging rivers is captivating, but expanding river banks can be slippery and unstable. One wrong move can put you in flows so fast and powerful that there is simply no way of escaping.

• Stay off wet trails.

The rule of thumb is, if your boots, bike tires, or horse’s hooves are leaving noticeable imprints, find a drier trail. Early season trail damage can last for months. If you encounter short sections of wet trail on north-facing slopes or in deep canyons, go through the wet area and not around, in order to avoid widening the trail.

• Be careful in the canyons and on mountain roads.

We’re already seeing significant mud and rockslides on canyon roads and mountain passes. Slow your roll through these areas and exercise extra caution on blind corners in case you suddenly encounter unexpected chunks of Earth where they shouldn’t be.

For additional information on responsibly and sustainably enjoying the Ogden area, click here.