Snow pack running ahead of average in river basin

The Carson River Basin's snowpack is 128 percent of average, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Data from the service's snow telemetry shows that snow pack feeding four Sierra east slope river basins is well above average for the year, with the Truckee showing 116 percent, Lake Tahoe at 133 percent and the Walker River at 116 percent of average for this time in the water year.

While only the Walker River received above-average precipitation for the water year that begins on Oct. 1, a cool wet spring has helped keep the snowpack frozen.

There still is 57 inches of snow at Ebbetts Pass, 16 inches more than there was on Jan. 1.

"April was a fairly cool and wet month for most of Nevada and eastern California," a May 1 report by the Conservation Service said. "Several strong storms came through the state and added much-needed precipitation to the area."

Singled out in the report was the Walker River Basin, which received a fraction less than double of its average precipitation.

Last week's storm dropped an additional 9 inches of snow at the head of the Carson River.

According to the Conservation Service's May 1 water supply outlook, "Western Nevada should get a break from a three-year dry spell."

The Carson River Basin received 167 percent of its average precipitation during April, according to the report.