One reason that the Audubon society is concerned about Utah water is that existing state water plans could spell catastrophe for migrating shorebirds.
Envision Utah has released a 50-year plan for Utah’s water based on the assumption that Utah’s population will double to six million people by 2060. In order to support this human population growth, the plan places priority on maintaining water-wasting agricultural practices and building large-scale water diversions like the Bear River Project.
The water strategy can be taken as a warning as much as an actual plan. It’s clear that better water policy and environmental conservation need to be priorities, because any other choice will end up destroying the very qualities that make Utah a great place to live.
Recommend State Water Strategy: envisionutah.org/projects/utah-water-strategy