Cassia County Water Intelligence Brief

October 26, 2026 | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

With irrigation season winding down across both Cassia County agricultural zones, Cassia Creek is running at 8 cfs and rising, while the Raft River near Malta holds steady at 2 cfs — conditions consistent with late-October transition toward dormancy for Snake River corridor operators and Raft River Valley ranchers alike. Burley Irrigation District deliveries are approaching end-of-season, and contracted potato and sugar beet acres in the Burley/Rupert corridor are past peak demand; Amalgamated Sugar's Burley factory and associated processing operations should note that upstream supply signals for next season are beginning to form. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

Mountain snowpack across the watersheds feeding Cassia County's water supply is in early-accumulation mode, with stations reflecting typical late-October conditions rather than meaningful seasonal storage.

Bostetter R.S. (10/25): 0.6" SWE, 0.0" snow depth. A trace of water equivalent with no measurable snow depth indicates early-season moisture that has not yet consolidated into a snowpack layer.

Howell Canyon (10/25): 0.8" SWE, 1.0" snow depth. The only station reporting measurable snow depth — a light early dusting consistent with normal late-October conditions at elevation.

Lewis Lake Divide (10/25): 0.0" SWE, 0.0" snow depth — at 0% of the 0.4" median for this date. This is the one station where below-median language is warranted: Lewis Lake Divide is running slightly behind its normal early-accumulation pace.

Seasonal context: The 2026 water year opened against the backdrop of an anomalous March heat wave that drove meltout 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date across the region — a significant factor in the late-season supply stress experienced this past summer. That event is now background history; the forward story is how the 2026–2027 snowpack builds from here.

Streamflow Conditions

Cassia Creek below Blacksmith Creek (10/26): 8 cfs, rising. This late-October uptick likely reflects early-season precipitation and cooling temperatures reducing consumptive demand, consistent with seasonal transition. Cassia Creek is not a primary irrigation supply source but serves as a useful in-county precipitation and runoff signal.

Raft River above Onemile Creek near Malta (10/26): 2 cfs, stable. This reading at USGS gauge 13078000 is the primary surface water indicator for the Raft River Valley ranching zone in southern Cassia County. At 2 cfs, the Raft River is running at a minimal late-season level typical for this time of year — adequate as a background flow but confirming that Raft River Valley operations (Oakley, Malta, Almo, Elba area) are not drawing meaningfully on surface supplies at this point in the season.

Snake River corridor note: No active USGS Snake River gauge exists within Cassia County boundaries. Supply assessment for the Burley Irrigation District service area relies on upstream gauges at Milner and near Twin Falls. Irrigators and processing industry users in the Burley/Rupert corridor should contact Burley Irrigation District or IDWR's Burley office directly for current Snake River delivery status.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 25, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 26, 2026.

Data Current As Of: October 26, 2026.

Important Disclaimers: This brief provides automated analysis for informational purposes only. Specific numerical claims have not been independently verified. Consult official sources including Burley Irrigation District, Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR — Water District 36, Burley office; Eastern Regional Office, Pocatello, (208) 525-7161), Minidoka Irrigation District, and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region (Boise office) for American Falls Reservoir and Palisades Reservoir upstream storage context and for all regulatory and water rights administration decisions.