Wasatch County Water Intelligence Brief

October 19, 2026 | Provo River Basin | Free-Tier Edition

Situation Summary

Provo River flows are running in the 146–164 cfs range across Heber Valley gauges this week, with a mixed directional signal — falling at River Road Bridge and Charleston, but rising at Hailstone — indicating the river system is in active late-season transition. For Heber Valley irrigators, this week likely represents the final window of meaningful field delivery before season-end, and coordinating with your ditch company now will help avoid wasted allocation. Reservoir storage data and 7-day forecast details are available in the full brief.

Snowpack Conditions

All three SNOTEL stations reporting for the Provo River basin show 0.0" SWE and 0.0" snow depth as of October 18, 2026. This is the normal seasonal condition for mid-October — the historical median SWE for this date at these stations is also 0.0", so these readings do not indicate a below-normal snowpack condition for today's calendar date.

Important network disclosure: The 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 users and are excluded from this brief. The primary Provo River basin snowpack indicators used here are Trial Lake and Beaver Divide, both located in Summit County and reporting since 1978. Wolf Creek Peak (Wasatch County) drains to the Provo River basin but has a short record — reporting since August 2020, less than six years — and should be interpreted with caution as a long-term baseline indicator.

The relevant 2026 seasonal context: all three stations melted out approximately 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, driven by an anomalous March heat wave. That event is now background history. Accumulation-season snowpack monitoring will resume in earnest as November approaches.

Streamflow Conditions

Three USGS gauges are active on the Provo River mainstem through Heber Valley:

The falling trend at River Road Bridge and Charleston is consistent with normal late-October recession as irrigation demand winds down and snowmelt contributions remain absent. The rising signal at Hailstone — the downstream-most gauge, near Deer Creek Reservoir's inlet zone — may reflect localized tributary inputs, reservoir operational effects, or short-term routing dynamics; users monitoring that reach should watch whether the rising trend persists or reverses in coming days.

At 146–164 cfs, flows remain sufficient for active late-season deliveries in Heber Valley, though the falling trajectory at the upper gauges signals that the system is drawing down toward base-level autumn conditions. Heber Valley irrigators should treat current flows as a closing window rather than a stable supply plateau.

Seasonal Guidance

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Data Sources: SNOTEL data through October 18, 2026; USGS streamflow data through October 19, 2026.

Data Current As Of: October 19, 2026. Utah Division of Water Rights records current as of date of publication.

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. Strawberry Reservoir is an inter-basin transfer facility (Bonneville Unit, Central Utah Project) that moves water westward across the Wasatch Divide from the Colorado River basin into the Provo River system; users should monitor USBR Bonneville Unit operational announcements separately.