Iron County Water Intelligence Brief

September 28, 2026 | Cedar-Parowan Closed Basin

Situation Summary

Coal Creek near Cedar City is running at 10 cfs in stable late-season baseflow, reflecting the typical low-demand tail of the irrigation season — but for Parowan Valley groundwater-dependent irrigators, surface streamflow is not the operational story. The defining water condition in Iron County remains what it has been for decades: structural aquifer overdraft in both Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley, where pumping has persistently exceeded sustainable recharge regardless of seasonal precipitation or snowmelt timing. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All six SNOTEL stations monitoring the Markagunt Plateau and surrounding ranges are reporting at their expected late-September seasonal condition, with snowpack accumulation not yet underway for the 2026–27 season.

Station readings as of September 27, 2026:

These readings reflect normal late-September conditions — the median SWE for this date is also 0.0" across stations, so current readings are at seasonal norms, not below them. Background context: 2026 was an anomalously early-melt year across the Mountain West, with Markagunt Plateau stations melting out approximately 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date due to an extreme March heat wave. That earlier-than-normal meltout compressed the spring recharge window for both Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley aquifers. Brian Head SNOTEL, as the primary high-elevation indicator for Markagunt Plateau recharge, will be the leading signal to watch as the 2026–27 accumulation season opens in October and November.

A critical framing note: even a strong future snowpack season will not resolve the structural overdraft in Cedar Valley or Parowan Valley aquifers. Recharge from Markagunt Plateau snowmelt contributes meaningfully to aquifer replenishment, but decades of pumping in excess of sustainable yield have produced a chronic water-level decline that seasonal precipitation cannot reverse. The Utah State Engineer's Groundwater Management Plans for both valleys acknowledge this structural condition explicitly.

Streamflow Conditions

Coal Creek near Cedar City (USGS 10242000): 10 cfs, stable — September 28, 2026

Coal Creek is the only active USGS streamflow gauge in Iron County. At 10 cfs in stable late-season baseflow, the creek is behaving consistently with end-of-irrigation-season conditions. This reading should be interpreted as a recharge-season indicator, not a supply volume — Coal Creek's average annual flow of approximately 24,200 acre-feet is small by Mountain West standards, and Iron County agriculture is primarily groundwater-dependent, not surface-water-dependent.

Parowan Valley gauge gap: No active USGS gauge exists on Parowan Creek or Center Creek in the Parowan Valley (HUC 16030001). This is a known and significant monitoring gap. Parowan Valley irrigators and water managers cannot rely on real-time streamflow data for local surface water conditions — conditions must be inferred from groundwater management plan reporting and local well monitoring. Contact Utah Division of Water Rights for any available local stream measurement data.

Iron County's hydrologic identity is essential context here: Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley are internally draining closed basins with no surface water outlet to any larger river system. Coal Creek terminates in a dry lake and playa; Parowan Creek terminates at the Little Salt Lake and adjacent playa. Water that falls on these mountains stays in Iron County — it is either consumed here, evaporated, or slowly recharges the valley aquifers below.

Seasonal Guidance

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through September 27, 2026; USGS streamflow data through September 28, 2026

Data Current As Of: September 28, 2026 | Utah Division of Water Rights

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.