Wasatch County Water Intelligence Brief

July 6, 2026 | Free Tier

Situation Summary

The Provo River basin entered July 2026 with snowpack fully melted across primary monitoring stations, following an anomalous March heat wave that drove meltout 4–6 weeks ahead of historical median meltout dates — compressing the spring runoff window and accelerating the transition to summer baseflow conditions. Streamflow at Heber City–area gauges remains measurable but the Hailstone reach is falling, signaling the basin is drawing down toward late-season supply. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details 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 — all drain east to the Colorado River basin via Duchesne River tributaries. 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 Trial Lake and Beaver Divide, both located in Summit County. Wolf Creek Peak is located in Wasatch County and drains to the Provo River basin, but its record is short — reporting since August 2020, less than six years — and should be interpreted with caution.

As of July 5, 2026, all three stations reporting for the Provo basin show the following:

Beaver Divide and Wolf Creek Peak are fully melted out. Trial Lake retains a modest 0.8" SWE with 2.0" of snow depth — a remnant pack that will likely disappear within days under July conditions. No percent-of-median figures are shown for any station, which means the long-term median SWE for this date is also 0.0" at those sites; the stations are at normal seasonal condition for early July. The significant story for 2026 is not today's readings but timing: snowpack melted out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date basin-wide, meaning spring recharge to Provo River storage and streamflow peaked earlier and ended earlier than normal.

Streamflow Conditions

Three active USGS gauges monitor Provo River basin flows relevant to Wasatch County as of July 6, 2026:

The two upper gauges — Heber City and Charleston — are holding stable in the mid-to-upper 100s cfs range, which reflects meaningful flow for early July. However, the Hailstone gauge at 26 cfs and falling is a material divergence: the lower reach of the system is declining. This falling trend at Hailstone warrants attention for users dependent on that corridor. The early meltout timing this season means the basin is not receiving meaningful ongoing snowmelt input; flows from this point forward will reflect reservoir releases, groundwater contributions, and summer precipitation rather than seasonal melt.

Seasonal Guidance

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through July 5, 2026; USGS streamflow data through July 6, 2026. Stations: Beaver Divide (330:UT:SNTL), Trial Lake (828:UT:SNTL), Wolf Creek Peak (1164:UT:SNTL); USGS gauges for Provo River at River Road Bridge near Heber City, Provo River near Charleston, and Provo River near Hailstone.

Data Current As Of: July 6, 2026. Utah Division of Water Rights records not independently verified for this brief cycle.

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), Provo River Water Users Association, and Utah Division of Water Rights for regulatory decisions and water rights administration. Streamflow and snowpack conditions can change rapidly — verify current readings at waterdata.usgs.gov and wcc.sc.egov.usda.gov before making operational decisions.