People in Utah rely on water stored in both groundwater (obtained from springs and wells) and surface water reservoirs.


Each spring, snowmelt helps recharge underground aquifers. The state has an elaborate system of man-made reservoirs which are used to hold water from streams and rivers to distribute for usage. The major rivers that provide water for consumption in northern Utah are: Provo, Weber, Bear, Ogden, Jordan, and Spanish Fork. Water from these major rivers is stored in several reservoirs scattered throughout northern Utah. Approximate 40% of the drinking and irrigation water used in the northern part of the state comes from water diverted from these major rivers into man-made reservoirs.



Source: http://www.water.utah.gov/brochures/uws_broc.htm