Wednesday, Feb 9 2011 5:28PM

Residents of rural Utah may be concerned about the future of their communities, as the state's Lieutenant Governor recently acknowledged that redistricting efforts will likely have a negative impact on those areas, reported the Vernal Express.

At a meeting of the Uintah Basin Water Summit in Vernal, the newspaper reported Lt. Governor Greg Bell told the audience that due to the expansion of Utah's urban populations, outlying communities may not receive same level of concern in the state legislature. For instance, Bell said Salt Lake City's population is expected to increase from 1.7 million to 2.3 million by 2030, while the paper said the Uintah Basin region is expected to grow from 49,000 residents to more than 63,000.

Utah's legislative districts are expected to change as a result of the 2010 U.S. Census, which Bell said could affect water availability in rural communities, according to the article.

"The future of water supply and municipal and industrial use needs to address conservation," Bell said. "There's no more supply, but saving 500,000 acre feet through conservation by making small adjustments is promising."

Water limits may also affect the income of Utah farmers and their workers. The Utah Department of Agriculture reports that agriculture makes up 14 percent of the state economy, which will likely be diminished if farmers are unable to cultivate their usual harvests.