Projections show that Lake Tahoe will reach capacity for the first time in five years, thanks to high snowfall (and snowmelt) and the back-to-back wet winters of the past two years.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a new report about the Tahoe water basin’s water supply outlook, and things are looking good. As of May 1, snowpack was 102% of the 30-year median for the region — far below the 293% it was at this time last year.

But that’s not necessarily bad news: Reservoirs captured much of that snowmelt. The Tahoe basin had high soil moisture — 78% saturation — which enabled efficient runoff collection, per Yahoo. Now, the Lake Tahoe basin’s reservoir storage is at 88% capacity, compared to 47% last year.

Federal scientists’ analyses show that the lake is likely to reach full capacity by the end of the spring. Plus, the dam on the Truckee River can regulate up to 6 feet of storage, a total of 744,500 acre-feet.

According to the report, when the lake reaches capacity, the stored water supply can typically meet water demand for three years, even in below-normal snowpacks in the future. This summer is expected to see above-average temperatures in the Tahoe region.

Feature image of Lake Tahoe via Unsplash/Tim Peterson.