Wasatch County Water Intelligence Brief

June 15, 2026 | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

The Provo River basin entered the 2026 irrigation season with snowpack that melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave across the Mountain West. Current streamflow conditions reflect that advanced meltout, with flows declining at the Hailstone gauge while upper-basin reaches remain moderately elevated. Reservoir storage data, 7-day forecast details, and depletion trajectory analysis are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

Important disclosure: The three SNOTEL stations physically located within Wasatch County — Currant Creek, Daniels-Strawberry, and White River #1 — drain eastward to the Duchesne River and Colorado River basin. They do not monitor snowpack contributing to the Provo River system or Heber Valley water supply, and are excluded from this brief. Primary Provo River basin snowpack indicators are Summit County stations.

As of June 14, 2026, the three Provo basin SNOTEL stations read as follows:

Beaver Divide and Wolf Creek Peak are reporting 0.0" SWE. Because no percent-of-median figure is shown for these stations at this date, the historical median SWE for this point in the calendar is also 0.0" — these stations are at normal seasonal condition for mid-June, not below normal. The accurate concern for 2026 is not current snowpack deficit but meltout timing: basin snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, meaning the seasonal pulse of snowmelt runoff that typically extends into late June or July arrived and largely passed in April and May.

Trial Lake retains a modest 0.8" SWE with 2.0" of snow depth — a minor residual snowpack that may contribute marginally to streamflow over the coming days but does not represent meaningful late-season supply.

Note on Wolf Creek Peak: This station (1164:UT:SNTL) drains to the Provo River basin and is geographically relevant, but has been reporting only since August 2020 — a record of less than six years. Its historical baseline is limited. Users should weight Beaver Divide and Trial Lake (both reporting since 1978) as the primary long-term Provo basin snowpack indicators.

The practical implication: no meaningful snowmelt-driven streamflow augmentation should be anticipated from the upper watershed. Available surface water supply is now dependent on stored reservoir carryover and whatever baseflow the watershed sustains through summer.

Streamflow Conditions

Three active USGS gauges provide current Provo River system monitoring as of June 15, 2026:

The rising signal at Heber City and stable condition near Charleston suggest continued moderate flow through the upper and middle Heber Valley reach. The falling condition at Hailstone — the lowermost gauge on this network — indicates that the downstream end of the system is already transitioning toward lower summer flow regimes.

The divergence between gauges warrants attention. The Charleston gauge (187 cfs, stable) reflects conditions above major Heber Valley diversions and reservoir inflows, while the Hailstone gauge (65 cfs, falling) reflects post-diversion and post-storage conditions further downstream. Heber Valley irrigators drawing from mid-system reaches should note this declining downstream signal as an early indicator of tightening supply conditions as the season progresses.

With snowpack effectively exhausted across the contributing watershed, sustained flows through July and August will depend on reservoir releases rather than natural runoff. Users on direct-flow water rights should monitor gauge trends closely over the coming two to three weeks.

Seasonal Guidance

*The following guidance identifies who to contact and what to monitor. Specific operational numbers and recommendations are available in the full brief.*

For Heber Valley agricultural users (alfalfa, hay, cattle operations):

For Park City–area users (Wasatch County side):

Additional guidance for all Wasatch County users:

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through June 14, 2026; USGS streamflow data through June 15, 2026.

Data Current As Of: 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, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Upper Colorado Region (for Deer Creek, Jordanelle, and Strawberry Reservoir operations), and the Provo River Water Users Association for regulatory decisions and water rights administration.