Box Elder County Water Intelligence Brief

October 19, 2026 | Bear River Basin

Situation Summary

Bear River flows near Corinne are currently running at 531 cfs and falling, signaling the transition into off-season conditions across the Bear River Basin — a development that marks the effective close of the 2026 irrigation season for most Box Elder County agricultural users. Upstream gauges at the Wyoming border (54 cfs) and Pescadero, ID (36 cfs) confirm limited inflow into the system, consistent with normal late-October basin recession. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

The Bear River Basin SNOTEL network shows conditions typical for mid-October across nearly all monitored stations. Seven of eight stations are reporting 0.0" snow water equivalent (SWE) and 0.0" snow depth as of October 18 — Bear River RS, Franklin Basin, Garden City Summit, Giveout, Slug Creek Divide, Tony Grove Lake, and USU Doc Daniel all show no measurable snowpack. These readings reflect the normal seasonal state at this point in the calendar; median SWE values for mid-October at these stations are also 0.0", so no below-normal signal is present at those locations.

Emigrant Summit is the lone exception, reporting 0.1" SWE and 1.0" snow depth — a trace early-season accumulation that does not represent meaningful water supply at this time.

As background context, the 2026 water year was shaped by an anomalous March heat wave that drove snowmelt 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date across basin SNOTEL stations, compressing the spring runoff window and affecting early-season delivery timing. That event is now well behind irrigators; the current story is the seasonal transition, not the prior-season snowpack.

Meaningful snowpack accumulation across the Bear River Range and Wasatch highlands typically resumes in November and builds through winter toward a March–April peak. No actionable SWE signal exists yet for the 2026–2027 water year.

Streamflow Conditions

Seven USGS gauges provide current flow status across the Bear River Basin relevant to Box Elder County users:

The consistent falling trend across multiple gauges confirms that the 2026 irrigation season is concluding normally for the Bear River system. The 531 cfs reading at Corinne remains the figure most directly relevant to Box Elder County diverters, and its declining trajectory is expected to continue as temperatures cool and basin storage replenishment has not yet begun.

Seasonal Guidance

Subscribe for the full brief including reservoir storage, weather forecasts, depletion analysis, and detailed operational recommendations.

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 18, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 19, 2026

Data Current As Of: Utah Division of Water Rights

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, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, and Utah Division of Water Rights for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.