California Today

April rain too late for Nevada water supply

11 May 2026 21:20

April precipitation in Nevada was twice the normal amount but came too late to improve the water supply outlook after a record-warm March caused rapid snowmelt. - Snowpack in northern Nevada hit record lows, while the Eastern Sierra neared 2015 record lows.

- Peak streamflow occurred at least a month earlier than normal due to record snowmelt in March. - Reservoir storage in the Eastern Sierra is better than last year, and Lake Tahoe is expected to fill.

- Northern and eastern Nevada face potential record-low streamflows from May through July if dry conditions persist. The NRCS report emphasizes that the April rains would have been more beneficial if they had arrived a month earlier, highlighting the challenges for water supply in the region.

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CrestTruckeeLake Tahoeweatherwater supplydroughtsnowpackSierra CountyWarning