Cassia County Water Intelligence Brief

June 15, 2026 | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

Cassia County enters mid-June 2026 in a post-snowpack operational mode across both agricultural zones: the Snake River corridor (Burley/Rupert area) and the Raft River Valley (Oakley/Malta area) are now fully dependent on stored water releases and residual streamflow following a basin-wide early meltout that ran 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date. With snowpack eliminated and streamflows falling at active gauges, late-season supply outlook hinges on upstream American Falls and Palisades reservoir storage conditions not captured in this free-tier edition. Reservoir storage data, 7-day forecast details, and depletion analysis are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All three SNOTEL stations reporting for Cassia County and adjacent source terrain show complete meltout as of June 14, 2026:

Bostetter R.S. and Galena Summit are fully bare. Howell Canyon retains a nominal 3 inches of snow depth with 0.0" SWE — indicating residual granular or settled snowpack with negligible water content contributing no meaningful melt runoff. No percent-of-median figures are reported for any station, which reflects that the normal median SWE for this calendar date is also 0.0" — these stations are at their expected seasonal condition for mid-June. The meaningful signal for 2026 is not today's readings but meltout timing: across the basin, snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, compressing the runoff pulse into an earlier and shorter window. The active snowmelt recharge season for both the Snake River system and the Raft River watershed is now complete.

Streamflow Conditions

Snake River Corridor note: No active USGS Snake River gauge exists within Cassia County boundaries — the Snake River near Burley gauge (13085045) is discontinued. Supply assessment for the Burley Irrigation District service area relies on upstream indicators outside county boundaries.

Cassia Creek Below Blacksmith Creek, ID: 10 cfs, falling (June 15). This gauge provides a localized signal for tributary conditions in the eastern Cassia County uplands. The falling trend is consistent with the post-meltout decline expected at this stage of the season, with no active snowmelt contribution remaining.

Raft River Above Onemile Creek, Near Malta, ID (13078000): 2 cfs, falling (June 15). This is the primary in-county streamflow indicator for the Raft River Valley agricultural zone. At 2 cfs and falling, the Raft River is operating at the low end of its modest seasonal range — consistent with a system that has completed its snowmelt-driven pulse and is transitioning to baseflow conditions. For Raft River Valley ranchers and hay irrigators in the Oakley, Malta, and Elba areas, this reading signals that surface water availability from the Raft River system is tightening. The Raft River is a small system under normal conditions; at 2 cfs and declining, surface water supply for late-season irrigation is limited.

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: June 15, 2026. SNOTEL data: NRCS National Water and Climate Center. Streamflow data: USGS National Water Information System.

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, Idaho Department of Water Resources (IDWR — administers Water District 36, the middle Snake River priority system; Burley district office, (208) 678-1158), Burley Irrigation District (primary delivery infrastructure for the Snake River corridor in Cassia County), and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Region (Boise office) for American Falls Reservoir and Palisades Reservoir upstream storage context. For Raft River Valley users, contact IDWR and local Oakley-area irrigation companies for current surface water administration status. This brief does not constitute water rights legal advice or an official supply forecast.