The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) released its Nevada Water Supply Outlook Report May 1, 2025. Last month’s April 1 report celebrated three consecutive winters with near normal to well above normal peak snowpacks for the eastern Sierra and northern Nevada. In Nevada, where multi-year drought is much more common than a string of strong winters, the last three years have been a welcome change. That said, overall conditions this year haven’t been as strong as either of the last two years. April didn’t help. Last month was drier than normal and snowmelt proceeded more rapidly than normal. Basin snowpack percentages are now below May 1 medians on the eastern side of the state including the Upper Humboldt, Clover-Franklin, Owyhee and Snake basins. Fortunately, most reservoirs important to northern Nevada are storing near normal to well above normal amounts for this time of year. Streamflow forecast percentages for the May-July period are lower than the April-July percentages at a number of points indicating that some of the runoff may have front-loaded into April this year. The May-July forecast is 70-106% for the mainstem of the Humboldt River where less runoff than was observed last year is predicted. This month’s 50% exceedance volumes are ~40% of last year’s observed May-July volume for points near Elko, Carlin and Palisade and ~30% of last year for points near Comus and Imlay.

Below are May 1 conditions for the Upper and Lower Humboldt Basins:

• Snowpack in the Upper Humboldt River Basin is well below normal at 63% of median, compared to 110% at this time last year. Precipitation in April was well below normal at 37%, which brings the seasonal accumulation (October-April) to 103% of median. Soil moisture is at 76% saturation compared to 80% saturation last year.

• Snowpack in the Lower Humboldt River Basin is above normal at 112% of median, compared to 181% at this time last year. Precipitation in April was well below normal at 53%, which brings the seasonal accumulation (October-April) to 113% of median. Soil moisture is at 71% saturation compared to 76% saturation last year. Reservoir storage is 60% of capacity, compared to 68% last year.