On a drive into the Sierra this winter, the water picture can feel reassuring. Reservoirs are brimming, spillways are running, and December storms left the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) with some of the strongest early-season storage on record. But higher up in the mountains, where water managers look months ahead rather than weeks, the story is still unfolding in snow.
This winter’s dry spells and warmer-than-normal temperatures are reducing mountain snowpack across the NID watershed. During its first snow survey of the year last week, the District found snowpack measured just 47 percent of average. At the same time, reservoirs hold the third-highest total storage ever recorded for this point in the year, largely the result of warm winter storms at the end of 2025.
“December provided a strong boost to our water supply as we headed into 2026,” said NID Water Resources Superintendent Thor Larsen. “However, we’ve seen very dry conditions since Jan. 5. While snowpack is below average, reservoirs across the District are close to capacity or spilling.”
At first glance, those conditions may seem contradictory. For NID water managers, however, strong reservoir levels in early February don’t tell the whole story.
Reservoirs reflect water that has already arrived—from past storms, runoff, and storage carried over from previous years. Snowpack offers a look ahead. It represents water stored naturally in the mountains, released gradually as temperatures warm and rainfall becomes scarce.
“Reservoirs show us the water that’s already here,” said Greg Jones, NID Assistant General Manager. “Snowpack is different. It’s water that hasn’t arrived yet. Reservoirs tell us about the past. Snowpack tells us about the future.”
A winter shaped by warm storms
Much of the precipitation that fell in December 2025 arrived during warmer storms. While those systems delivered a significant volume of water, they also limited snow accumulation—particularly at mid- and lower elevations. In some areas, precipitation fell as rain. In others, snow melted faster than normal due to above-average temperatures.
The result is a snowpack that remains well below average, even as reservoirs appear strong.
NID’s February snow survey found an average snow water content of 9.5 inches across its five primary snow courses, compared to a historical average of 20.2 inches. Measurements included:
- Webber Peak (7,800 feet): 37.6 inches of snow, 13.3 inches of water content
- English Mountain (7,100 feet): 29.2 inches of snow, 11.1 inches of water content
- Webber Lake (7,000 feet): 30.6 inches of snow, 9.6 inches of water content
- Findley Peak (6,500 feet): 22.4 inches of snow, 7.6 inches of water content
- Bowman Reservoir (5,650 feet): 19 inches of snow, 6 inches of water content
Water managers focus on how much water the snowpack contains rather than snow depth alone. Known as snow water equivalent, this measurement indicates how much water would be available as the snow melts and plays a key role in seasonal water supply planning.
The same December storms that limited snow accumulation also filled reservoirs quickly. This pattern aligns with long-term modeling used by NID and water agencies statewide. While overall precipitation totals may remain similar over time, a greater share of that moisture is expected to fall as rain rather than snow—placing increased importance on reservoir operations, timing, and flexibility.
As of Feb. 4, total NID reservoir storage reached 91 percent of capacity, or 122 percent of a 12-year average for the date.
What this means for customers
For customers, the outlook remains steady. Water supplies are reliable, and no changes to service are anticipated based on the season’s first snow survey.
“Because we entered this winter with strong carryover storage and saw heavy rainfall early in the season, reservoirs filled quickly,” Jones said. “Snowpack builds more slowly and typically peaks around April. What we see in February is only part of the picture.”
That picture will continue to evolve. Colder storms later in the winter could still rebuild snowpack and improve conditions heading into summer and early fall. For water managers, winter supply is shaped not by a single month or storm, but by how temperature, timing, and storage work together over time.
This article appears in NID.
