Bear Lake Watch

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Fish Haven, ID
Bear Lake Watch

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For over 30 years Bear Lake Watch has helped keep Bear Lake: CLEAN, DEEP, and BLUE. Please join us in defending the lake!

We are a Nonprofit organization, depending on donors and volunteers who love the lake.

10/08/2026

Missed the Merlin Olsen Summer Classic auction? You still have a chance to score some amazing items AND support Bear Lake Watch!

We have a few special auction items still available, and your donation goes directly to support the work of Bear Lake Watch and our mission to protect Bear Lake.

🎨 Laurie Rich “Good Morning Bear Lake” Painting — $200 donation A beautiful 12x24 gallery-wrapped oil painting capturing the serene beauty of Bear Lake. Created by talented local artist Laurie Rich of Paris, Idaho. A perfect piece for any Bear Lake lover!

⛰️ Iron Mountain Hot Springs — $100 donation Two 3-hour Quick Dip vouchers to Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. With 35 mineral hot spring pools, cool-water plunges, saunas and more, this would make an amazing fall or winter getaway!

🎭 Pioneer Theatre Gift Certificate — $80 donation Enjoy two tickets to Little Shop of Horrors, running October 26–November 5. Tickets are available Monday–Thursday, making this a fun fall night out!
Great items. Great experiences. A great way to give back to Bear Lake.
Items are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so don’t wait! DM if interested.

10/01/2026

🍂Fall at Bear Lake is something special. The changing leaves, crisp mornings, and peaceful shoreline remind us just how beautiful this place is and how important it is to protect it.

If Bear Lake is special to you, consider supporting Bear Lake Watch and the work we do to Keep It Clean for generations to come.

Love Bear Lake. Protect Bear Lake.

Visit bearlakewatch.org/donate/ to make a donation

09/16/2026

Dear Friends of Bear Lake,

On behalf of the Olsen family and Bear Lake Watch, thank you for your incredible support of the 14th Annual Merlin Olsen Summer Classic. It was a truly memorable day, bringing friends, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters together to celebrate Bear Lake.

This year’s tournament set a new fundraising record, raising more than $150,000 to support Bear Lake Watch’s mission to protect and preserve the lake. Since its beginning, the Merlin Olsen Summer Classic has now raised more than $1.1 million for scientific research and the future of Bear Lake!

Your generosity makes a lasting difference as we work together to keep Bear Lake Clean, Deep & Blue.

We hope you’ll join us for the 15th Annual Merlin Olsen Summer Classic on Saturday, July 17, 2027, at Bear Lake West.

With sincere appreciation,
The Merlin Olsen Family & Bear Lake Watch

09/04/2026

🚨 END-OF-SUMMER BLOWOUT! 🚨
We're clearing out the Bear Lake Watch Snack Shack before the season comes to an end!

Come stock up on your favorite snacks like Float On Ice Cream, treats & beach essentials before they are gone.

Say BLUE at the Snack Shack and get a 2-for-1 discount.

📅 Friday • Saturday • Monday
🌦️ Weather permitting
📍 Bear Lake Watch Snack Shack - North Beach

09/02/2026

Bear Lake has given us so much—beautiful sunsets, family memories, quiet mornings, and traditions that last for generations. 💙
Now, it’s our turn to give back. Your support helps fund the only AIS inspection station on the Idaho side of Bear Lake, protecting the lake we love for generations to come.

Give thanks. Give back.

Visit bearlakewatch.org to donate.

08/22/2026

Big Winter = Big Water

A potentially historic El Niño
There’s some encouraging news heading into the 2027 water year! The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) now says there is more than a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño this fall and winter, with a 69% chance it could be the strongest El Niño in its record dating back to 1950.

That sounds exciting for snow lovers, but there’s an important catch.

A strong El Niño does not guarantee a big snow year in the Upper Bear Basin.

Looking back at the major El Niño winters like 1982-83, 1997-98, and 2015-16, results in the Bear Basin varied wildly. Some brought exceptional snow and runoff, while others were much closer to average.

El Niño may tilt the odds, but it doesn’t determine our snowpack. Storm tracks, temperatures, spring precipitation, and the timing of the snowmelt all play a role.

So for now, the outlook is encouraging, but it’s much too early to start counting snowflakes.

One thing is certain: the 2027 water year gives us more reason for optimism than we had a few months ago!

A special thank you to Dr. John Holman for sharing his insight and knowledge and helping put together the Splashback updates that keep our community informed about Bear Lake and the Upper Bear Basin.

To sign up for the Splashback visit: bearlakewatch.org

08/17/2026

🌧️July brought some welcome rain, but Bear Lake is still feeling the effects of a dry year.

The Upper Bear Basin received about 1.7 inches of precipitation in July, nearly 200% of normal and a big improvement from June’s 0.6 inches.

That helped bring our water-year precipitation closer to normal, reaching about 97% of the long-term median by August 1. But the rain mainly stopped things from getting worse; it didn’t erase the deficit.

Why? Our mountain snowpack disappeared about a month earlier than normal, which means we lost the slow, steady runoff that normally helps support Bear River flows into the summer. By July, Bear River inflow into Bear Lake was essentially zero.

🌊Bear Lake continued to fall.

The lake dropped roughly 16 inches during July, from about 5,914.76 feet to 5,913.4 feet.

While that decline is not unusual compared to the past few years, where the lake ends up this fall will be important in determining how much water we carry into the next water year.

July’s rain was welcome, but we still have a long way to go!

A special thank you to Dr. John Holman for sharing his insight and knowledge and helping put together the Splashback updates that keep our community informed about Bear Lake and the Upper Bear Basin.

To sign up for the Splashback visit: bearlakewatch.org

08/06/2026

If you’re celebrating Raspberry Days this weekend, make Bear Lake Watch part of your plans!

Stop by our booth at the Raspberry Days Craft Fair to learn how we’re working to protect the lake you love, grab some merch, and discover how you can help keep Bear Lake clean and free of aquatic invasive species.

Going to North Beach? Visit the Snack Shack!! Enjoy Float On ice cream, snacks, drinks, and all your beach day essentials. Every purchase helps fund the staffing needed to operate Idaho’s only AIS decontamination station.

We can’t wait to see you this weekend!

Address

Fish Haven, ID

Website

https://www.bearlakewatch.org/

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