This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
St. George, Utah • Spurred by ongoing drought conditions that have greatly diminished water levels in the Virgin River and its tributaries, many farmers and residents in southern Utah will no longer be able to use water from the river.
The Spectrum of St. George reports (http://bit.ly/1yrttmE) that only people with water rights going dating back earlier than 1900 will be able to divert water to irrigate crops, grow pastures and give animals drinking water.
The Utah Department of Natural Resources sent a letter earlier this month alerting people to the changes. State officials attribute the action to extremely dry conditions over the last three years.
Assistant state engineer Jared Manning said at a meeting Tuesday in St. George that officials will monitor the river and modify rules based on stream flows.
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Information from: The Spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com