Iron County Water Intelligence Brief

July 20, 2026 | Cedar-Parowan Closed Basin

Situation Summary

Iron County's Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley are internally draining closed basins — snowmelt that falls on the Markagunt Plateau stays here or is consumed here, with no surface water outlet to any larger river system. The defining water story this season is not meltout timing but structural aquifer overdraft: Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley groundwater levels have been declining persistently for decades, and no single season's precipitation resolves that chronic condition. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All six SNOTEL stations monitoring Iron County's recharge elevations are reporting 0.0" snow water equivalent and 0.0" snow depth as of July 19, 2026 — a normal seasonal condition for this point in the calendar, as median SWE for these stations is also 0.0" in mid-July. The critical signal for 2026 is meltout timing: Brian Head (10,040 ft), Castle Valley, Little Grassy, Long Flat, Midway Valley, and Yankee Reservoir all melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave across the Mountain West.

For Parowan Valley irrigators and Cedar City water managers, Brian Head SNOTEL is the primary recharge indicator — high-elevation snowpack on the Markagunt Plateau is the principal natural recharge source for both valley aquifers. An early meltout compresses the recharge window: whatever infiltration and streamflow recharge was going to occur this water year happened earlier than normal and is now complete. Aquifer recharge opportunity for the 2025–2026 water year should be considered finished.

Streamflow Conditions

Coal Creek Near Cedar City (USGS 10242000): 10 cfs, rising — July 20, 2026

Coal Creek is the only active USGS streamflow gauge in Iron County, draining approximately 80.9 square miles of the Markagunt Plateau. A reading of 10 cfs with a rising trend in late July is best interpreted as a recharge-season signal — potentially reflecting monsoon moisture or residual catchment response — rather than a primary supply volume. Coal Creek averages roughly 24,200 acre-feet annually and is small by Mountain West standards; it is not a direct irrigation supply source for Iron County agriculture.

A critical monitoring gap exists in Parowan Valley: no active USGS gauge operates on Parowan Creek or Center Creek (HUC 16030001). Parowan Valley surface water conditions cannot be directly observed from publicly available streamflow data. Irrigators and managers in the Parowan and Paragonah communities should contact Utah Division of Water Rights for local stream monitoring records and infer valley conditions from groundwater management plan reporting and well-level observations.

Seasonal Guidance

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through July 19, 2026; USGS streamflow data through July 20, 2026

Data Current As Of: July 20, 2026

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, Utah Division of Water Rights (State Engineer — issues and administers groundwater management plans for Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley aquifers; the governing documents for long-term aquifer protection; waterrights.utah.gov), Iron County Water Conservancy District, Cedar City Water Department, and local irrigation companies serving Parowan Valley agricultural users for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.