Wasatch County Water Intelligence Brief

October 5, 2026 | Provo River Basin

Situation Summary

Provo River flows through Heber Valley are running stable this week, with the River Road Bridge gauge holding at 301 cfs and the Charleston gauge at 302 cfs — conditions that support continued late-season delivery for alfalfa and hay operations wrapping up the irrigation season. The Hailstone gauge reads 51 cfs and rising, a signal worth monitoring as the system moves toward shoulder-season conditions. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All three Provo River basin SNOTEL stations are reporting 0.0" snow water equivalent and 0.0" snow depth as of October 4 — a normal seasonal condition for early October, when the historical median SWE at these elevations is also 0.0". No below-normal language applies to current readings.

An important network 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 that contributes to the Provo River system or Heber Valley water supply, and are excluded from this brief. The primary Provo River basin snowpack indicators are Trial Lake (Summit County, reporting since 1978) and Beaver Divide (Summit County, reporting since 1978). Wolf Creek Peak (Wasatch County) drains to the Provo River basin but carries a short record — reporting began August 2020, fewer than six years of data — and should be interpreted with that limitation in mind.

For seasonal context: 2026 was an anomalously early-melt year, with Provo basin stations melting out 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date. That event is now background history. Accumulation season begins in earnest in November.

Streamflow Conditions

Three USGS gauges are active in the Provo River Basin as of October 5:

The two upper gauges show consistent, stable flow through the Heber Valley reach — a favorable condition for irrigators managing final cuttings or transitioning fields to dormancy. The Hailstone gauge's rising signal warrants attention; no causal explanation is provided in available data, but Park City-area municipal users and downstream system managers should note the upward trajectory. No gauge context is available to characterize these flows relative to seasonal norms without paid-tier historical comparison data.

Seasonal Guidance

*For Heber Valley agricultural users and Park City-area municipal users. Contact agencies directly for current operational status.*

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 4, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 5, 2026

Data Current As Of: October 5, 2026 | Utah Division of Water Rights records current as of publication date

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 (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 data are provisional and subject to revision by USGS and NRCS.