Salt Lake County Water Intelligence Brief

June 8, 2026 | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

Snowpack across Salt Lake County's contributing watersheds melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date following an anomalous March heat wave, compressing the runoff window and shifting peak streamflow earlier into the spring season. Both active in-county gauges are now reading mid-June volumes consistent with a post-peak, declining seasonal pattern. Reservoir storage data, 7-day forecast details, and three-supplier coordination metrics are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All five SNOTEL stations reporting to the Jordan River Basin network are at or near seasonal floor conditions as of June 7, 2026.

Atwater, Brighton, Dry Fork, and Mill-D North all report 0.0" SWE and 0.0" snow depth. Because the historical median SWE for each of these stations is also 0.0" at this point in the calendar, these readings reflect normal seasonal meltout — not anomalous shortfall. The critical signal for 2026 is timing: meltout at these stations occurred 4–6 weeks earlier than the historical median meltout date.

Snowbird is the lone exception, reporting 0.2" SWE — 6% of its 3.0" median — with 11.0" of snow depth remaining, indicating a residual high-elevation snow patch. This trace amount does not represent meaningful recharge potential.

*Station record note:* Atwater (SNTL 1308) has been reporting only since August 2022 — fewer than four years of record. For historical trend comparison, Brighton (reporting since 1986), Mill-D North (since 1988), and Snowbird (since 1989) are the appropriate long-record reference stations.

No additional snowmelt-driven inflow to canyon reservoirs or local streams should be expected from existing snowpack.

Streamflow Conditions

Two active USGS gauges are currently transmitting data for Salt Lake County. Users should note that Big Cottonwood Creek (10168499, 10169000), Mill Creek (10170000), and Parleys Creek (10171500) are discontinued gauges not currently transmitting data. Contact Salt Lake City Public Utilities directly for canyon-specific flow data beyond Little Cottonwood Creek.

Jordan River at 1700 South, Salt Lake City is reading 134 cfs as of June 8, with flow described as stable. This gauge reflects aggregated upper-basin contributions and conveyance through the valley corridor.

Little Cottonwood Creek at Jordan River near SLC is reading 30 cfs as of June 8, with flow described as falling — consistent with post-peak seasonal recession following the early meltout pattern observed across all SNOTEL stations.

Both readings are consistent with the advanced meltout timing characterizing the 2026 water year. Declining Little Cottonwood flows indicate the primary snowmelt pulse has passed.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through June 7, 2026; USGS streamflow data through June 8, 2026.

Data Current As Of: June 8, 2026. Water rights and regulatory status current as of Utah Division of Water Rights records.

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, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Upper Colorado Region, for Deer Creek and Jordanelle reservoir operations), and Salt Lake City Public Utilities (canyon watershed storage) for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.