Bear Lake Watch

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Fish Haven, ID
Bear Lake Watch

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.

04/14/2026

What’s happening with our water this year? Here’s the breakdown:

The Upper Bear Basin is experiencing record-low snowpack (snow water equivalent, or SWE), a key measure of how much water is stored in the snowpack and released during spring melt.

While we’ve seen low years before (like 1992 and 2015), 2026 stands out because:

March temperatures were 5–8° warmer on average, with highs nearly 10° higher
That heat caused a rapid early melt, reducing the water available for spring runoff
So what does this mean?

💧 Less snowpack = less streamflow
Current forecasts show Bear River flows at 30–50% of average for the upcoming months.

🌧️ Rain ≠ snowmelt
Even though total precipitation is near average, rainfall doesn’t provide the same slow, sustained water supply that snowpack does.

🏞️ Reservoirs are helping for now
Stored water is buffering the impact, but some reservoirs are already sitting well below capacity.

📉 Looking ahead
Warmer, drier conditions are expected to continue, meaning we’re unlikely to recover much of this deficit.

💙 Bear Lake outlook
Lake levels may not rise much this year, BUT the lake will still be beautifully blue.

03/21/2026

We only get one chance to protect Bear Lake.

Aquatic Invasive Species don’t show up overnight; they arrive quietly, hitching a ride on boats and gear. And once they’re here, they don’t leave.

Across the U.S., invasive species cause over $120 billion in damage every year. But the real cost? Lost ecosystems. Altered shorelines. A lake that never quite looks the same again.

The good news? This is preventable.

Every inspection.
Every cleaned boat.
Every small action adds up.

Inspect. Protect. Keep invasive species out of Bear Lake.

🛥 Check your boat
🗑 Pack trash out
💙 Let's Keep It Clean

03/13/2026

LET'S KEEP IT CLEAN

Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) are one of the biggest threats to our lake. Once they enter the water, they’re almost impossible to remove, and the damage is devastating.

And Bear Lake has conditions that invasive species love:

🔵 Cold, clear water
🔵 Hard surfaces (boats, docks, rocks) for attachment
🔵 High calcium levels, which mussels need to build shells

Utah operates 3 inspection stations to help stop the spread in Bear Lake.

Until now, Idaho has had zero AIS stations at Bear Lake.

One lake. Two states. Let’s protect it all!

This summer, Bear Lake Watch is bringing an AIS inspection station to North Beach Road because prevention is everything.

🛥 Check your boat
🗑 Pack trash out
💙 Let's Keep It Clean

02/27/2026

🌿 National Invasive Species Awareness Week 🌊

This week is a reminder that protecting Bear Lake starts with awareness. Invasive species are one of the biggest threats to the health, beauty, and recreation we all love.

One of our biggest concerns is Eurasian watermilfoil, an aggressive aquatic plant that forms dense underwater mats, crowds out native habitat, and tangles up boats and swimmers. Even small fragments can spread it to new areas.

Other threats, such as curly-leaf pondweed, phragmites, and invasive mussels, could further impact water quality, wildlife, and access if we’re not careful.

What you can do:
• Clean, drain, dry your boats and gear (look for the new Aquatic Invasive Species inspection station coming to North Beach this summer!)
• Avoid transporting plants between waterbodies
• Report suspicious plant growth

Protecting Bear Lake takes all of us. Let’s keep it clean, deep, and blue for generations to come.

02/25/2026

Big things are happening at the lake 🌊

The marina expansion is underway, and they are on track for a Spring 2028 opening. Progress is rolling!

As of February 21st, crews have completed construction of the perimeter d**e and closure plug, officially enclosing the new marina area. That means the next step is dewatering, which is removing the water inside so excavation can begin.

But it’s not just about expansion and adding boat slips. It’s about protection too!
Alongside marina construction, crews are building a wetland mitigation site near Big Creek at the south end of Bear Lake. This new habitat will help offset construction-related impacts and create improved space for wildlife to thrive.

Want to stay up to date on the marina expansion? Text BEARLAKE to 833-265-7257

02/05/2026

❄️Dreaming of Snowpack Season❄️

The Upper Bear Basin is moving in a positive direction! Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) steadily improved through December and early January, with precipitation now at 126% of average and SWE close behind at 98% of average. Current projections show a 50:50 chance of finishing the water year with an average snowpack.

Utah’s January Water Supply Forecast notes shallow, dense snow statewide, but highlights early improvement in the Bear Basin. Looking at similar years (1990, 2010, 2014, and 2024), outcomes varied, but many delivered solid runoff and lake-level gains. Taken together, the data points to a promising outlook, with a realistic shot at above-average snowpack and a healthy runoff that could bring welcome rises to Bear Lake levels.

To stay up to date on Bear Lake news, visit: https://bearlakewatch.org/email-subscription/

winter

01/30/2026

One lake. Many fish. Every sticker tells a story.

With Bear Lake Monster Winterfest starting today, now’s the perfect time to give back to a place that’s given so many memories! Summer days on the beach, winter weekends in the snow, and everything in between.

Donate to Bear Lake Watch and receive limited-edition native fish stickers as a thank you. More importantly, your support helps fund projects that protect clean water, fish passage, and the long-term health of Bear Lake.

Stick it on your water bottle, cooler, car, or gear and invite others to join you.
Together, we keep Bear Lake CLEAN, DEEP, and BLUE all year long.

Donation tiers:
$5 – 1 sticker
$15 – 3 stickers
$75 – Complete set

To donate, visit: www.bearlakewatch.org/donate

*please note “for Fish Stickers” when donating

The stickers are replicas of professional artwork by Joseph Tomelleri.

To see them all, visit: www.bearlakewatch.org/fish

01/22/2026

Your sticker = your impact

As Bear Lake Monster Winterfest approaches, your support goes further than ever. When you donate to Bear Lake Watch, you’re not just getting a sticker; you’re helping protect water quality, restore native fish habitat, and preserve the Caribbean Blue lake we all love.

Your donation = real conservation action.
Your sticker = a symbol that you care about Bear Lake’s future.

Help us keep Bear Lake thriving through every season.

Donation tiers:
$5 – 1 sticker
$15 – 3 stickers
$75 – Full set

To donate, visit: www.bearlakewatch.org/donate

01/13/2026

Make a splash this Winterfest season

Bear Lake’s native fish are the heart of its ecosystem, and this winter, your support helps keep them thriving. When you donate to Bear Lake Watch, you’ll receive an exclusive endemic fish sticker as a thank you.

Each sticker represents a species found in Bear Lake and a reminder that keeping Bear Lake healthy takes all of us year-round.

Join us as we head into Winterfest and show the world you’re part of the movement to protect Bear Lake.

Let’s protect Bear Lake—one fish at a time.

Donation tiers:
$5 – 1 sticker
$15 – 3 stickers
$75 – Full set

To donate, visit: www.bearlakewatch.org/donate

01/08/2026

Something’s swimming your way—just in time for Winterfest!

If you were in Bear Lake this summer, you may have seen stickers celebrating the native fish swimming around town. Now, they’re back as we count down to Bear Lake Winterfest and the Cisco Run!

As we head into Winterfest season, you can show your love for Bear Lake by donating to Bear Lake Watch. Each donation earns an endemic fish sticker—symbolizing your commitment to protecting the lake’s ecosystem, native species, and iconic Caribbean Blue water.

Stick with Bear Lake this winter, share your sticker, and celebrate all that makes this place special.

Donation tiers:
$5 – 1 sticker
$15 – 3 stickers
$75 – Complete set

To donate: visit www.bearlakewatch.org/donate

12/29/2025

The race to protect Bear Lake!

Bear Lake’s crystal-clear waters are facing increasing threats from invasive species, and Bear Lake Watch is stepping up to protect this rare and treasured ecosystem. The nonprofit is racing to raise $65,000 by January 1 to fund a new aquatic invasive species inspection station on the Idaho side of the lake, with the goal of opening before the next boating season.

“Everyone wants greater protections for this remarkable and rare lake,” said Bear Lake Watch Executive Director Brady Long. With invasive species like quagga and zebra mussels already present in nearby Idaho waterways, the new station would help stop additional threats before they reach Bear Lake. “We can’t risk having a third or fourth or fifth… monster pop into the lake,” Long said. Acting now could prevent irreversible damage and save millions in future mitigation costs, protecting Bear Lake for generations to come.

To donate, visit: https://bearlakewatch.org/donate/

To read the entire Salt Lake Tribune article: https://apple.news/AuIrfl8qEQfaCXfctglIz1g

Photo credit: Carol Ann Dyer

12/17/2025

🐟 Cisco & Whitefish of Bear Lake

Bear Lake is home to three endemic whitefish species found nowhere else on Earth: the Bonneville Cisco, Bonneville Whitefish, and Bear Lake Whitefish. All evolved from a common ancestor that arrived during the Ice Age and adapted over thousands of years in isolation.

Each species fills a unique role, from the large, bottom-feeding Bonneville Whitefish that spawns in December, to the open-water Bonneville Cisco that spawns in January, to the tiny, deep-water Bear Lake Whitefish that spawns in February.
Despite millions of eggs being laid each winter, fewer than 1% survive to adulthood, making these fish both remarkable and mysterious. Another reason Bear Lake is truly one of a kind!

To read the full article by Bryce Nielson, visit: https://richcivictimes.blogspot.com

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Fish Haven, ID

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https://www.bearlakewatch.org/

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