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Providing water to wildlife with guzzlers
Report guzzler conditions
With the large number of guzzlers across the state, DWR staff and partners are not able to check on every guzzler every year. If you happen across one, you can help out by reporting the guzzler's condition in one of the surveys below, and noting any needed repairs.
- If you have the guzzler ID from the sign at a guzzler, complete this survey:
- If you do not know the guzzler ID, but know the location, complete this survey:
What is a guzzler?
Utah is one of the driest states in the country. There are some areas where natural water sources have completely disappeared, leaving wildlife without the water they need to live.
To help the animals in these dry areas, we have worked with many partners to build and refill fabricated water collection and storage systems, which are often called "guzzlers." These are devices that collect rainwater and snowmelt, and then store it to provide drinking water for a variety of wildlife species. Other areas have very little naturally occurring surface water, limiting distribution of some desirable species.
Some species that use guzzlers include deer, elk, bison, bighorn sheep, chukar partridge, quail, raptors and many others.
What does a guzzler look like?
Although there are many sizes and types of designs, a guzzler typically consists of three major parts:
- An "apron" (often made of metal) that collects rainwater during storms.
- A storage tank that holds the water.
- A drinker nozzle or trough where wildlife can access the water.
Where are guzzlers located?
There are currently hundreds of guzzlers located across Utah, many in areas that have been hard hit by drought. Sometimes, if there aren't enough storms to fill a guzzler, we will use a helicopter to refill guzzlers from the air!
The exact locations of these guzzlers are not published in order to provide some protection to the animals that use them, but general locations of the guzzlers are shown in the map below.
Expanded wildlife populations benefit Utah's hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and the public at large by enhancing the quality of life in our state. Guzzlers are vital components of these efforts, and Utah is lucky to have many partnerships in place to continue installing new guzzlers in the most crucial areas.
