Iron County Water Intelligence Brief

October 26, 2026 | Cedar-Parowan Closed Basin

Situation Summary

Coal Creek near Cedar City is running at 28 cfs and rising — an encouraging late-October signal for Cedar Valley recharge conditions as the closed basin enters its off-season. For Parowan Valley groundwater users, the operative condition this week remains what it is every week: pumping from a structurally overdrafted aquifer where long-term water-level decline is the baseline reality, not a seasonal anomaly. 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 terrain are reporting at normal seasonal conditions for late October — no snow water equivalent has accumulated yet at any reporting station.

Station readings as of October 25, 2026:

The 0.0" SWE readings across all stations reflect normal conditions for this date; the median SWE for late October at these elevations is also effectively zero, so no below-normal characterization is warranted. The seasonal context worth carrying forward: the 2026 snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave. That early meltout shaped recharge timing this past spring and is now background history.

Brian Head, at 10,040 feet, is the primary indicator station for Markagunt Plateau snowpack — the high-elevation source of natural recharge for both Cedar Valley and Parowan Valley aquifers. Accumulation there in November and December will be the first meaningful signal of the 2026–27 recharge season outlook.

A critical closed-basin reminder: Iron County is a self-contained hydrological system. Snowmelt that falls on these mountains stays here or is consumed here. Cedar Valley drains internally to a dry lake playa; Parowan Creek terminates at the Little Salt Lake. There is no surface water outlet to the Sevier River, Virgin River, or any larger system. What recharges here is all there is.

Streamflow Conditions

Coal Creek near Cedar City (USGS 10242000): 28 cfs, rising — October 26, 2026

A reading of 28 cfs with a rising trend is a positive late-season signal for Cedar Valley. Coal Creek — draining approximately 80.9 square miles of the Markagunt Plateau — functions primarily as a recharge-season indicator for Iron County water managers, not as a direct irrigation supply source. At roughly 24,200 acre-feet average annual volume, it is small by Mountain West standards. Its value lies in what it signals about soil moisture, late-season runoff, and potential aquifer recharge opportunity — not in its delivery volume.

The rising trend at 28 cfs warrants monitoring. Whether this reflects late-October precipitation runoff or sustained baseflow conditions is worth tracking through your local water district contacts.

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 monitoring gap. Parowan Valley surface water conditions cannot be directly observed from USGS data; users should contact the Utah Division of Water Rights for local stream data and rely on well monitoring under the Parowan Valley Groundwater Management Plan for supply assessment.

Seasonal Guidance

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

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 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.