ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) - Water managers and farmers in Utah are hoping for a wet spring but preparing for the worst after a fourth straight dry winter.
Nearly 1,000 people discussed the state's grim water outlook at the Utah Water Users Association's spring conference last week in St. George.
Randy Julander of the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service and Brian McInerney of the National Weather Service say the last six months have been among the driest in the West since record keeping began in 1874.
The Deseret News newspaper of Salt Lake City reports that attendees were warned that stream flows in most of Utah are expected to be less than half of average and flows will worsen if dry conditions continue.
Utah Farm Bureau President Leland Hogan says his organization will urge its members to conserve water as much as possible.