Author Archives: Dennis Ghiglieri

About Dennis Ghiglieri

My concern for the Truckee River grew over the years. It started with picking up trash and supporting better water quality. I helped create the "living river"plan with other citizens on the Community Flood Coalition; a plan to reduce flood impacts to infrastructure through river restoration and protection of the floodplain. I understand how critical the Truckee River is to the environment – and economy – of our entire region. I'm hoping that through these pages we can all understand our connection to the Truckee River and why we need to protect it.

Oh No! Pipe Lake Tahoe water to Sacramento?

Lake Tahoe is over 1,600 feet deep and contains a vast amount of fresh water, but has a very small watershed.

That question was just fielded by the Sacramento Bee in a recent question and answer column.  And it’s not for the first time either.  Lake Tahoe, because of its immense size and depth, has been a target of water interests in California since the 19th century when tunnels through the Sierra were considered to tap the Lake and its water.  The Sacramento Bee does a credible job of answering the question (forget it, basically), but the large population in California (38 million people and rising) is a constant threat to water resources statewide.  Today, waters of the Truckee River (which includes all of the Lake Tahoe basin), are used in both California and Nevada.

Lake Tahoe is over 1,600 feet deep and contains a vast amount of fresh water, but has a very small watershed.

Lake Tahoe is over 1,600 feet deep and contains a vast amount of fresh water, but has a very small watershed.

Most folks don’t realize that water from the Lake Tahoe basin already goes into a river that flows west to the Sacramento and eventually to the Pacific Ocean.  Late in the 19th and early 20th century, diversions of streams flowing to Lake Tahoe or to the Truckee River directly were constructed and still operate today.

Echo Lake Water is diverted to the American River by PG&E.

Echo Lake Water is diverted to the American River by PG&E.

One of the diversions most everyone eventually drives past if they live anywhere in northern Nevada or California is at Echo Lakes at Echo Pass on US Highway 50. (Click on the map to see a larger version).  A dam on the lake provides 12 feet of storage that PG&E sends through a tunnel and pipeline to the American River to the west.  If the water followed its natural course it would flow to the Upper Truckee River, Lake Tahoe, and to the Truckee River.

The other diversion sends water from Independence Creek to irrigators in Sierra Valley.  The Sierra Valley Water Company owns the water.  Once the water is diverted it flows away from its natural course down the Little Truckee River (a major tributary to the Truckee River) and instead heads to Sierra Valley to the north.  There the water irrigates ranches and continues on to the west flowing Feather River.  A fly fishing website (http://www.flyline.com/places/little_truckee/) writes on its page:

“Much of the Little Truckee is diverted to Sierra Valley farmers at Hennese Pass and between the diversion and Stampede Reservoir the river is unable to support much trout life during the hot summer months.”

Independence Lake itself is a natural lake, but has a small dam.  Some of the water stored by the dam is owned by the Truckee Meadows Water Authority to supply the Reno-Sparks area during long-term drought.  So, in most conditions less water flows into the Truckee River because of the diversion to the Feather River and the storage of water in Independence Lake.

Independence Lake Map

Map of Independence Lake in the Sierra showing Land Ownership (click for larger version)

The Nature Conservancy manages the private land surrounding Independence Lake.  (Click the link to see how the Nature Conservancy is protecting native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout at Independence Lake.)

These two diversions to California have operated for so long that most people don’t realize that water from both Lake Tahoe and the Truckee River already flows into west flowing American and Feather Rivers, through Sacramento and on to the Pacific Ocean.  Each takes water permanently away from the much smaller Truckee River.

The Truckee River as Art

Grab your coat, run out the door, and get to the Nevada Museum of Art right away.

The Truckee River is one of the landscapes featured in the captivating art of Phillis Shafer.  She reminds us of nature’s – indeed the river’s – beauty in this exhibition “I only went out for a walk …”.

Phillis Shaffer, Truckee Cradle (2007) Oil on Canvas

Phillis Shaffer, Truckee Cradle (2007) Oil on Canvas

“Tahoe-based painter Phyllis Shafer is one of this region’s most beloved artists, whose work explores the nuances and individual features of the landscape of the Lake Tahoe Basin and its environs …”

She says on her website, “My method is to paint directly from the natural environment. …”  She has some thumbnails of her work on her website.

See her paintings live through May 11, 2014.

It is more than worth the trip to the Museum.

Extreme Drought in N. Nevada and California

20140114_west_trd_Drought_MonitorAs most of us in Reno already know – it is an extremely dry winter.  What does this mean for the Truckee River, Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake?  Likely, without a significant change in the overall precipitation pattern, Lake Tahoe will fall below its rim at 6,223 feet and no more water will flow to the Truckee from Tahoe.  That means that all the water in the Truckee River will have to come from other tributaries – mostly from releases from reservoirs.  The Federal Water Master, Chad Blanchard, told a TV news station, “We are basically out of water in those reservoirs at this time or very close to it.  [The Truckee River flows] will be an absolute trickle but it will be much lower than people are used to.”

The Truckee River has had 14 mostly below to well below average years since 2000 and the current outlook is for continued dry conditions stretching into spring.  [Only 2005, 2008, and 2011 saw well above average precipitation.]  Cities and agriculture use up most of the river  during low flow years leaving less water to maintain natural systems.  Pyramid Lake’s surface elevation is well below its level in 2000.  Pyramid Lake is natural end of the Truckee River, but we divert water from the Truckee for many uses – cities and towns, ranches and farms, and industry such as power plants.  Currently, nearly 65 % of the water in the Truckee River you see flowing through the Truckee Meadows is diverted into the Newlands Project canal at Derby Dam.  Water diverted there never reaches Pyramid lake and instead flows to the Carson River through the Truckee Canal.  How many visitors to Lahontan Reservoir on the Carson River realize that the water entering the reservoir near the dam is actually from the Truckee River?  Right now most of the water filling Lahontan is coming from the Truckee River not the Carson River (which was effectively dry at Lahontan most of the summer and well into the fall).

Truckee Canal ends at Lahontan Reservoir on Carson River

Water from the Truckee River, diverted into the Truckee Canal at Derby Dam, ends in Lahontan Reservoir on the Carson River.  (D. Ghiglieri, January 2014)

Our use of water from all sources, including the Truckee River, depletes water for natural systems. Human uses take significant amounts of water directly from streams and the river leaving smaller amounts for Lakes and in-stream flows.  Effectively, even in an average year, natural systems slide into drought conditions.  In a drought, natural systems can simply disappear and the wildlife they would otherwise support disappear, too.  We have made strides to keep some in-stream flows during droughts through the “Water Quality Agreement” that Reno and Sparks entered into in the 1990’s.  That offers all of us a little hope that the Truckee won’t be dry this year.  If 2015 is dry too, all bets are off.

January 17, 2014:

  • Stampede Reservoir, CA on the Little Truckee River:  50% of capacity (113,000 acre-feet)
  • Prosser Reservoir, CA on Prosser Creek: 22% of capacity (6,620 acre-feet)
  • Boca Reservoir, CA on the Little Truckee River: 17% of capacity (6,882 acre-feet)
  • Donner Lake, CA Storage: 34% capacity (3,270 acre-feet)
  • Independence Lake, CA (Truckee Meadows Water Authority):  80% capacity (14,000 acre-feet)
  • Lake Tahoe CA, NV: 6 inches above its natural rim at 6,223.55 feet of elevation currently in decline.
  • Truckee River flow at the Vista Gauge (leaving Sparks): about 280 cubic-feet-per-second (CFS)
  • Diverted Truckee River water in the Truckee Canal (heading to Lahontan Reservoir): about 180 CFS
  • Truckee River flow at Nixon, Pyramid Lake Pauite Reservation: about 100 CFS

Water from the Truckee River enters Lahontan Reservoir:

Welcome to our new Truckee River website and blog.

 

Floating the river is a popular summer activity which depends on healthy river flows. Floating the river is a popular summer activity which depends on healthy river flows.

Floating the river is a popular summer activity which depends on adequate river flows.

The Truckee River is the keystone of our communities from the town of Truckee in California across the state line in Nevada to the cities of Reno and Sparks, and continuing on to Wadsworth and Nixon on the Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation. The river is our life blood supplying water for many uses along its 114 mile length.  The river paints a different scene with its sinuous blue ribbon of water through each day and throughout the year.  It talks to its visitors in its turbulent rapids and quiet riffles alike.  It is home to fishes and birds in all seasons.  It is a place of solace for all of us.

The goal on our pages is to remind us that the Truckee River is essential to our way-of-life –  to remind us that we use the river but must not over-use the river – to remind us that a clean river is not just essential to fish and wildlife but to all of us as well – to remind us that flood plains are publicly costly places to develop businesses and infrastructure – to remind us that recreation is dependent on public access to the river – to remind us that flood-control is best achieved by not needing it – to remind us that restoring the river is akin to restoring our future.

We welcome discussion on our pages of the often complex water issues facing our communities. Understanding the important roles of water conservation, water treatment, flood control, river restoration, river recreation, and protecting the river floodplain is necessary to the formation of sound public policies to keep the river healthy for generations to come.  

We hope that the website will also offer background and resource and historical information which will inform us all.  

Your help in commenting and offering feedback will help us in making sure our information is up-to-date and accurate. 

Truckee River Flood Project cuts out community

Time was that the community came together to develop our community flood coalition flood project.  That project protected the river and the businesses and residences.  The idea was clear. Re-create a “living river” within the reality of our community with businesses, homes,  and recreation needs.  Protect the river by creating a new flood plain for the river from Rock boulevard to Lockwood.  Keep levees away from the river.  Keep levees away from residences.  Elevate critical buildings.  Restore the river and give the community parks and recreation areas for generations.

John Champion Park in Downtown Reno was built with donated labor and materials and on donated land.

John Champion Park in DownTown Reno

That was then and now — well, we have no parks or recreation, no restoration within the Truckee Meadows, a contentious road that occupies open space agricultural land, more levees and flood walls — no living river.

Can that be changed?  Will the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers honor their earlier commitments?  Will the Flood Project Board put back the park and restoration elements that the community supports and pays for with an quarter percent sales tax increase?  We think a new discussion is needed among all residents and our leaders to make sure that whatever flood project is built it reflects the values and needs of the community.