Despite wet spring, we're not out of the drought yet

While the recent string of wet storms and cooler temperatures added to the region's water supply this spring, they weren't enough to end the region's ongoing drought.

That's according to a joint report by the National Weather Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service released this week.

"Unfortunately, this season was not the drought breaker that had been hoped for much of this region," the report said. "While western Nevada and the eastern Sierra should get a break from the three-year dry spell, most of the rest of Nevada and northeast California will have to deal with a fourth dry year in a row."

The snowpack for the Carson River Basin was 125 percent of average, Lake Tahoe 125 percent of average, the Truckee River basin 120 percent of average and the Walker River Basin 113 percent of average.

The cool temperatures and wet storms that affected the region in April and early May slowed the snow melt and added to the snowpack. The potential for spring flooding is average for rivers in the region, including the Carson River above the Lahontan Reservoir.

"Under normal snow melt conditions, spring runoff should be controlled throughout Nevada and eastern California," the report said. "However, heavy rainfall during the melt season, or several days of much above average temperatures, may result in localized river and stream flooding."

April precipitation was highest in the Walker River Basin at 199 percent of average. The Carson River Basin was 167 percent of average.

From May through August, precipitation is expected to be normal throughout the region with temperatures above normal, according to the report.