This page features aerial and ground-based photos of St. George, Utah and the Virgin River outside of Hurricane, Utah.
St. George in a city in southwestern Utah on the Arizona border with a population of nearly 100,000. St. George, known for its lavish golf courses and green lawns, has been criticized for its water use. But the city argues it has been making strides to cut water consumption, including by using secondary irrigation water for outdoor spaces such as parks and golf courses. During the highest irrigation period of the year in 2021—June through September —residents saved 362 million gallons of culinary water and cut secondary irrigation by nearly 13%.
The Virgin River is a 162-mile tributary of the Colorado River and was Utah’s first designated wild and scenic river. The Virgin runs through Zion National Park and is the driving force behind many of the park’s unforgettable settings.
In June 2021, the Virgin River dropped to the lowest water levels ever recorded, raising fears about the future of the river’s endangered fish species, including the Virgin chub.
Learn more:
- Brian Maffly, “Cox releases ambitious water plan in response to Utah drought,” The Salt Lake Tribune, January 14, 2022.
- Mori Kessler, “Officials say Washington County needs second source of water in 10 years,” St George News, October 23, 2022.
- Lexi Peery, “St. George Residents saved 362 million gallons of water this summer, a trend the mayor says needs to continue,” KUER, October 21, 2021.
- Jordan Verdadeiro, “Virgin River at an all time low, reservoirs not even near full capacity,” ABC4 News, June 14, 2021.
Date | 2018 and 2021 |
Location | St. George, Utah (map) |
Credit | Ted Wood/The Water Desk |
Rights | Free to reuse under Creative Commons license. |
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