Caribou County Water Intelligence Brief

June 15, 2026 | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

Snowpack across the Bear River, Blackfoot, Portneuf, and Salt River basins serving Caribou County has fully melted out, with SNOTEL stations recording 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date following an anomalous March heat wave across the Mountain West. Streamflow is currently supporting active irrigation demand across most basins, though several key gauges are trending downward — signaling that the seasonal transition to late-summer supply management is arriving earlier than typical. Reservoir storage data for Blackfoot Reservoir, Bear Lake, and associated Caribou County facilities are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All eight SNOTEL stations serving Caribou County's contributing watersheds are reporting 0.0" snow water equivalent (SWE) as of June 14, 2026. This is the expected seasonal condition for mid-June — the median SWE for this date at each of these stations is also 0.0", so today's readings do not indicate below-normal snowpack relative to the current calendar date.

The meaningful signal for 2026 is meltout timing: these stations melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of their historical median meltout dates, driven by the anomalous March heat event. That early departure means the annual snowmelt pulse — which typically sustains streamflow and reservoir filling into June and early July — has already been delivered to the system. No additional snowmelt contribution should be expected.

Station-by-station readings as of June 14:

Emigrant Summit (0.1") and Giveout (0.3") are the only stations showing any measurable SWE, and at trace levels these residual amounts are unlikely to contribute meaningfully to downstream flows.

Streamflow Conditions

Streamflow across the four basins shows a mixed picture as of June 15. Several gauges are holding at serviceable levels, while others are declining — consistent with a system that has already processed its snowmelt pulse and is transitioning toward baseflow conditions ahead of schedule.

Bear River Basin:

Blackfoot River Basin:

Portneuf River Basin:

Salt River Basin:

Overall, the dominant directional signal across most gauges is falling or stable, with the notable exceptions of the Pescadero and Corinne Bear River readings trending upward — likely attributable to operational releases rather than natural inflow increases. The early meltout means this transitional streamflow pattern is occurring roughly 4–6 weeks sooner than historically typical, compressing the window for reservoir filling and placing earlier pressure on stored supply for late-season irrigation needs.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through June 14, 2026; USGS streamflow data through June 15, 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, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (for Blackfoot Reservoir), and PacifiCorp/Bear River Commission (for Bear Lake storage) for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.