With drought and increased risk of wildfire in our region, restoration work has never been more important. That includes seeding native plants or improving the health of wetlands. It turns out that Utah does restoration a bit differently than the rest of the country. And our state’s model could be the future. Plus, water cuts are coming to some users along the Colorado River next year. They’re not enough to keep the river’s largest reservoirs from declining though. The federal government promises to take action to keep water flowing to 40 million people in the southwest. But without firm agreements to conserve among the states that rely on it, what comes next for the river remains unclear.

// Show Notes:

// Photo: A beaver dam beaver dam analogue is seen at Dugout Ranch. Workers there hope to fund more using Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative. KZMU/Justin Higginbottom

// Utah's Watershed Restoration Initiative

https://wri.utah.gov/wri/

// Information on Dugout Ranch

https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/dugout-ranch/

// KUNC: Colorado River states fail to meet federal deadline on restricting water use

https://www.kunc.org/environment/2022-08-16/colorado-river-states-fail-to-meet-federal-deadline-on-restricting-water-use