The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released its Nevada Water Supply Outlook Report January 1, 2025. Nevada’s NRCS Snow Survey Program provides mountain snowpack data and streamflow forecasts across the state and the Eastern Sierra. This information is valuable for conservation planning, water supply management, flood control, drought and avalanche prediction, climate modeling, and recreation, especially for the Humboldt River Basin.  It is published monthly from January to May.  First of month data are summarized and used to forecast summer streamflow. Water year 2025 is off to a good start, however, it is still too early to predict whether we will have a repeat of  the above median peak snowpacks of 2023 and 2024.  Below are January 1 conditions for the Upper and Lower Humboldt Basins:

• Snowpack in the Upper Humboldt River Basin is well above normal at 143% of median, compared to 84% at this time last year. Precipitation in December was well above normal at 139%, which brings the seasonal accumulation (October-December) to 112% of median. Soil moisture is at 35% saturation compared to 50% saturation last year.  
• Snowpack in the Lower Humboldt River Basin is well above normal at 149% of median, compared to 74% at this time last year. Precipitation in December was about normal at 107%, which brings the seasonal accumulation (October-December) to 117% of median. Soil moisture is at 51% saturation compared to 60% saturation last year. Reservoir storage is 54% of capacity, compared to 35% last year.  

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