FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A recent snow survey revealed Kings River water supplies are down compared to last year, which may impact the Central Valley's summer supply. “Snowpack data collected during the winter and spring months is vital to downstream San Joaquin Valley water agencies and users in portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties for whom the Kings River is the primary source of water,” said Kings River Water Association (KRWA) Watermaster Steven Haugen. According to professionals, 2025 started with a "bone-dry" January following major storms in November and December 2024. However, despite decent storms this year in February and March, their impact only reached parts of the Sierra Nevada. "It’s not a wet year across the entire Sierra Nevada. The north has great snowpack, but snowpack is less than average in the central and southern part of the mountain range,” said California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Director Karla Nemeth. Snow surveyors reported snow depths averaged 60 inches this year compared to 70 inches in an average winter. Similar to March, the Kings River in April has about 2 to 3 inches less water content compared to last year. The April 1 survey is when Sierra Nevada snow conditions typically reach their peak for the season. In short, Haugen says "It's a decent year," adding that March's storms boosted the snowpack's frozen supply to 79% normal for April 1. "This year is a lesson in why we can never know for certain what our water picture will look like until we get to the end of our traditional wet season,” Andy Reising, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. KRWA adds these vital surveys are at risk following federal personnel and funding cuts, including the loss of federal employees to complete these on-the-ground measurements. ...read more read less