Iron County Water Intelligence Brief

Agricultural & Municipal Edition | August 24, 2026

Situation Summary

Iron County's Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley are structurally overdrafted closed basins where chronic aquifer decline — not seasonal drought — defines the long-term water supply constraint; snowmelt recharge from the Markagunt Plateau provides some seasonal relief but cannot reverse decades of pumping in excess of sustainable yield. The 2026 snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date across all monitored SNOTEL stations, compressing the natural recharge window earlier than normal this season. Reservoir storage data and detailed operational guidance are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All six SNOTEL stations monitoring the Markagunt Plateau and surrounding highlands are reporting at their normal late-August seasonal condition, with snowpack effectively absent across the entire elevation range. This reflects typical end-of-summer melt completion — not an anomalous deficit relative to the date — but the critical 2026 story is timing: snowmelt concluded 4–6 weeks earlier than the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave across the Mountain West.

Station readings as of August 23, 2026:

| Station | SWE | Snow Depth |

|---|---|---|

| Brian Head | 0.0" | 1.0" |

| Castle Valley | 0.1" | 0.0" |

| Little Grassy | 0.0" | N/A |

| Long Flat | 0.0" | 0.0" |

| Midway Valley | 0.0" | 0.0" |

| Yankee Reservoir | 0.0" | 0.0" |

Brian Head (10,040 ft) is the primary recharge-signal station for both Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley aquifers, sitting atop the Markagunt Plateau where high-elevation snowmelt drives the most significant natural infiltration into both closed basins. Its current 0.0" SWE reading is consistent with normal late-season conditions, but the earlier-than-normal meltout means the 2026 recharge pulse into both valley aquifers arrived and concluded well ahead of schedule. Castle Valley's trace reading of 0.1" SWE is climatologically insignificant at this date. The recharge season for 2026 is effectively complete.

Streamflow Conditions

Coal Creek Near Cedar City (USGS 10242000): 9 cfs — stable (August 24, 2026)

Coal Creek is the only active USGS streamflow gauge in Iron County. At 9 cfs, the creek is running at a late-summer baseflow level consistent with diminishing late-season contributions from the Markagunt Plateau following the early 2026 meltout. This reading should be understood as a recharge signal for Cedar Valley, not as an irrigation supply volume — Iron County agriculture is fundamentally groundwater-dependent, and Coal Creek's roughly 80-square-mile drainage area produces flows that are small by Mountain West standards.

Parowan Valley gauge gap: No active USGS gauge exists on Parowan Creek or Center Creek in the Parowan Valley (HUC 16030001). Parowan Valley surface water conditions cannot be assessed from real-time federal monitoring data. Irrigators and managers in the Parowan and Paragonah communities should contact Utah Division of Water Rights directly for local stream data and infer valley conditions from groundwater management plan reporting and well-level monitoring.

Iron County is a closed basin — Coal Creek terminates in a dry lake and playa system; Parowan Creek terminates at Little Salt Lake. Water that falls on these mountains stays here or is consumed here. There is no surface water connection to the Sevier River, Virgin River, or any other system.

Seasonal Guidance

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through August 23, 2026; USGS streamflow data through August 24, 2026

Data Current As Of: August 24, 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 (local water authority), Cedar City Water Department (primary municipal water provider for Cedar City area), and local irrigation companies serving Parowan Valley agricultural users for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.