UTAH, Aug. 26, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — The new director of the Utah Division of Water Resources has been named, officials announced Thursday.
Candice Hasenyager replaces Todd Adams who was appointed this week as deputy director for the Utah Division of Natural Resources, said a news release from the Utah DNR. Adams fills a vacancy created by Rory Reynolds who is retiring after 31 years with DNR.
“Candice is a natural leader with a strong track record of water resource management,” Utah Division of Natural Resources executive director Brian Steed said. “Her leadership will be critical in addressing Utah’s water challenges. She has helped lead the state through one of the worst droughts in history and will continue to look for innovative ways to stretch and best manage our water supply.”
Hasenyager said: “Access to water is at the core of prosperity for our state. I am looking forward to serving the public and building on the great work already in place. As we head into the future, we will need to work together to implement balanced solutions like reducing our water use, growing water-wise and increasing our water supplies.”
Hasenyager started her career with the division in 2007 after graduating from the University of Utah with both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in civil engineering. She has served as the division’s deputy director since January 2020. Before being promoted to deputy director, she was the assistant director since 2018.
Throughout her career, Hasenyager has worked on various projects that support the division’s mission to “plan, conserve, develop and protect Utah’s water resources,” the news release said. As deputy director, she has overseen the Planning and Development branch, Water Conservation and Education section, and served as the division’s legislative liaison. During her career, she has been involved in surface water modeling, hydrology studies and municipal water demand projections.
Adams assumes his role as department deputy director 31 years (to the day!) from when he started with the Division of Water Resources, the news release said. During his time at the division, he served in many roles including director, deputy director, assistant director and legislative liaison.
“Utah is rich in natural resources, and how we manage them today will shape our state for decades to come,” Steed said. “Todd brings a wealth of experience with him and will be an asset to our leadership team.”
The Utah Division of Water Resources is one of seven divisions housed under the Department of Natural Resources. Tasked with planning, conserving, developing and protecting Utah’s water resources, the Division of Water Resources serves as Utah’s water steward. Visit water.utah.gov to learn more about the division.
