Washington County Water Intelligence Brief

June 22, 2026 | Virgin River Basin | Free-Tier Edition

1. Situation Summary

Washington County's municipal water supply enters peak summer demand season with snowpack fully melted across all Virgin River basin headwater stations — a condition that arrived 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date following an anomalous March heat wave. Streamflows across the Virgin River system are declining or stable at low-to-moderate levels, consistent with a post-peak-runoff summer baseline, with the primary surface water buffer now shifting to WCWCD-managed in-county reservoir storage at Quail Creek and Sand Hollow. Reservoir storage data, 7-day forecast details, and depletion trajectory analysis are available in the full brief.

2. Snowpack Conditions

All five SNOTEL stations monitoring the Virgin River basin headwaters report fully melted conditions as of June 21, 2026. This is expected for this calendar date — median SWE for late June at these elevations is also 0.0" — but the significance lies in timing: meltout occurred 4–6 weeks ahead of the historical median meltout date, meaning the snowpack's contribution to spring runoff concluded substantially earlier than normal this year.

| Station | SWE (in) | Snow Depth (in) |

|---|---|---|

| Gardner Peak | 0.0 | 0.0 |

| Gutz Peak | 0.0 | 0.0 |

| Kolob | 0.0 | 0.0 |

| Long Valley Jct | 0.0 | 3.0 |

| Webster Flat | 0.0 | N/A |

One anomaly warrants noting: Long Valley Junction reports 3.0 inches of snow depth despite 0.0" SWE, which may reflect a sensor artifact or residual compacted granular material — this reading does not represent meaningful water-equivalent storage. Washington County's SNOTEL network is sparser than northern Utah counties, and monitoring coverage of the higher-elevation Virgin River basin headwaters is limited; users should treat these five stations as directional indicators rather than a comprehensive snowpack census.

The practical consequence for municipal managers: the snowmelt pulse that typically supplements late-spring reservoir inflows has already concluded. No additional snowmelt contribution to streamflow or reservoir storage should be expected for the remainder of the summer season. WCWCD reservoir storage and monsoon precipitation timing are now the operative supply variables.

3. Streamflow Conditions

Six USGS gauges across the Virgin River basin provide current streamflow context as of June 22, 2026.

Virgin River mainstem and major forks:

Santa Clara River system:

System-wide interpretation: Across all six gauges, the pattern is consistent with an early-melt year in late-season baseflow mode. No gauges show elevated or rising flows. The falling trend at the North Fork, La Verkin, and Pine Valley stations confirms the basin is past peak runoff and receding into summer minimum conditions earlier in the calendar year than typical. For a rapidly growing metro area, this accelerates the timeline at which reservoir storage becomes the primary operational buffer — a condition WCWCD managers should factor into drawdown planning for July through September.

4. Seasonal Guidance

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

Data Sources: SNOTEL data through June 21, 2026; USGS streamflow data through June 22, 2026.

Data Current As Of: June 22, 2026. Utah Division of Water Rights administrative records reflect most recent published updates.

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, Washington County Water Conservancy District (WCWCD — primary water authority for Quail Creek and Sand Hollow reservoirs), Utah Division of Water Rights, and Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region for regulatory decisions and water rights administration. Colorado River Compact obligations and Lower Basin shortage conditions are subject to federal administrative determinations outside the scope of this brief. This document does not constitute legal, engineering, or water rights advice.