Bear Lake County Water Intelligence Brief

October 5, 2026 | Bear River Basin

Situation Summary

Bear River flows at the Idaho-Wyoming border and at Pescadero are running at 45 and 42 cfs respectively and falling, signaling that the primary irrigation season has closed and late-season baseflow conditions now govern the system. With irrigation demand winding down, these declining flows represent a normal seasonal transition rather than an immediate operational threat, but water managers should monitor trajectory heading into the shoulder season. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

SNOTEL stations across the Bear River Basin are reporting conditions consistent with the end of the warm season. All eight monitored stations show SWE at or near zero, which is the expected condition for this point in the calendar — the median SWE for early October at these elevations is also 0.0", so stations are at normal seasonal status, not below normal.

Station readings as of October 4, 2026:

Emigrant Summit and Giveout show trace SWE readings of 0.1", with Franklin Basin showing 1.0" of snow depth at zero SWE — likely a light early-season dusting without measurable water content. These are not meaningful accumulations for water supply planning purposes. Background context: the 2026 snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date due to the anomalous March heat wave, which shaped the character of the entire irrigation season. The Slug Creek Divide data gap is a monitoring concern worth flagging to NRCS for resolution heading into the accumulation season.

The meaningful snowpack story for Bear Lake County will begin in November and December. Watch for the first substantive accumulation events at Emigrant Summit and Franklin Basin, which are the most relevant stations for Bear River Basin water supply forecasting.

Streamflow Conditions

Gauge readings as of October 4–5, 2026:

The upper Bear River corridor tells a straightforward late-season story: flows entering Idaho from Wyoming at 45 cfs and measured again at Pescadero at 42 cfs are declining, consistent with irrigation season closeout and diminishing tributary contributions. The modest difference between the two upstream gauges reflects normal channel conditions.

The contrast with the downstream Corinne gauge at 475 cfs rising is notable and merits attention. This divergence between upper-basin falling flows and lower-basin rising flows likely reflects tributary contributions and system dynamics further downstream in Utah, and does not indicate upstream supply improvement for Bear Lake County irrigators. Users relying on Bear River diversions within Idaho should focus on the Border and Pescadero readings as the operationally relevant figures.

The Logan River at 96 cfs rising and Blacksmith Fork at 48 cfs stable indicate that Cache Valley tributary systems are maintaining reasonable late-season flows. The Little Bear River at Paradise at 26 cfs falling aligns with the broader seasonal declining pattern.

The Malad River near Bear River City reading of 6 cfs carries a data timestamp of May 15 — this gauge should be considered unreliable for current planning purposes, and users dependent on Malad River conditions should contact USGS or IDWR directly for current status.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 4, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 5, 2026

Data Current As Of: Idaho Department of Water Resources (Eastern Regional Office in Pocatello, (208) 525-7161, for Bear River basin counties)

Important Disclaimers: This brief provides automated analysis for informational purposes only. Specific numerical claims have not been independently verified. Consult official sources including your local water district, PacifiCorp/Bear River Commission (for Bear Lake storage operations) and local irrigation districts for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.