To say that Utah’s water shortage in 2021 is severe doesn’t do justice to the stark reality that many of the state’s lakes, creeks, and reservoirs are literally drying up. And unless nature cooperates soon, some of these once-full bodies of potable water will resemble the desert areas that surround them. At Echo Reservoir off Route 80 in central Utah, the 1,394-acre dam and reservoir sits at about 14 percent of total capacity, according to the Utah Division of Drinking Water (DDW). While its meandering shoreline has been receding for months, parts of the reservoir are now filled with algal blooms caused by stagnant, shallow water. “This has been the worst drought in several years,” said Ryan Dearing, the DDW’s emergency response coordinator. “It’s certainly the worst one we’ve had in 20 to 25 years.” In a normal precipitation cycle, the region will experience a dry year followed by a …