CWSD Current Projects

NEWLANDS WATER RIGHTS PURCHASE PROGRAM
(AB 380 Program)

In 1902, the Newlands Project became the first agricultural project established under the National Reclamation Act. The goal of the project was to provide irrigation water for agricultural purposes in the Lahontan Valley area, which is located in the eastern part of Churchill County.

The Newlands Project uses water from both the Truckee and Carson Rivers. It consists of approximately 73,000 water-righted acres, but not all the land is actively being irrigated. The lands which have not been irrigated have been the subject of litigation for many years between farmers in the Lahontan Valley and the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe (Pyramid Tribe).

The Pyramid Tribe, concerned that farmers might begin re-irrigating their lands and thereby increase diversions out of the Truckee River, has filed lawsuits claiming that the farmers' water rights have been abandoned or forfeited.

n 1999, the Nevada State Legislature passed Assembly Bill 380, which directed that a program be established to purchase and retire water rights from 6,500 acres in the Newlands Project. Over $15.6 million has been dedicated to this program, with $9 million coming from the Federal government, $4 million from the State, $2.5 million from Sierra Pacific Power Company, and $100,000 from Carson Truckee Water Conservancy District.

As part of the legislation, the CWSD was given the responsibility to administer the program. The program purchases Carson Division water rights for $1,600/acre and Truckee Division water rights for $3,200/acre. The goal of the program is to purchase and retire challenged water rights that cannot be used or transferred, however, unchallenged water rights are also gladly accepted. When unchallenged water rights are purchased, they can be “matched” with protested transfer applications or water rights challenged by petition. The unchallenged water rights are retired and the Tribe drops its legal challenge or protest. This “matching” program allows farmers to use water that was previously unavailable, and removes the “cloud” of litigation from many other properties.

When 6,500 acres have been purchased and retired, the Pyramid Lake Tribe has agreed to drop the remaining litigation in the Newslands Project. For more information about the Newlands Water Rights Purchase program, please contact Jamie Mills at (775) 423-7774 or Peggy Pollyea at (775) 887-1260.

INTEGRATED WATERSHED PLANNING PROCESS

CARSON RIVER COALITION

In 1998, the CWSD began serving as coordinator of an Integrated Watershed Planning Process (IWPP) involving stakeholder groups within the Carson River Watershed. IWPP participants include numerous individuals; local, state, and federal governmental and resources agencies; and citizen-driven groups. Many of these individuals participate in the Carson River Coalition (CRC), the steering committee for the IWPP, which meets on a monthly basis. The goal of the IWPP is to establish a program for the long-term management of the resources of the Carson River Watershed that addresses the diverse needs and concerns of all stakeholders.

As part of the IWPP, six working groups have been established to address specific issues within the watershed in greater detail and report on progress to the CRC. The six working groups are:

Water Quality
Land Use Planning
Agency Interaction and Coordination
Water Resources
Education and Community Outreach
Natural Resources Conservation

Members include private ranchers and landowners as well as representatives from local, state, and federal agencies. The groups have been meeting on an as-needed basis since the Summer of 1999 and are open to everyone.

To date, the IWPP has had several accomplishments, most notably laying the groundwork for the development of an Integrated Watershed Management Plan. As a result of input from a broad spectrum of IWPP participants, eleven Guiding Principles have been developed and formerly adopted by all five counties within the watershed with approximately 20 agencies and organizations. The guiding principles are the backbone of the overall watershed management plan that is being developed. The plan covers a range of issues, including water quality, floodplain protection, and upland management. The goal of the plan is to serve as a living document that provides one vision for the Carson River Watershed that can be shared by all stakeholders. For more information, please call Genie Azad, Watershed Coordinator, (775 )887-9005 or genie@cwsd.org.

REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

The Carson River Watershed is located in an arid environment. As such, water is always a main issue. One of CWSD’s responsibilities is to assist various water purveyors in the watershed to ensure that there are adequate water resources available to everyone within the five county region. Working through the Integrated Watershed Planning Process, the Water Resources Working Group is planning for the future by working to develop a regional water supply system. This system is broken down into the following projects.

Carson Valley Water System Intra-tie Project

The Water Resources Working Group, chaired by CWSD’s general manager, Ed James, is working with various water purveyors in the Carson Valley to investigate various options to meet the new arsenic standards that will go into effect in 2006. The project will look at the benefits of linking the existing water systems together to enhance water reliability, meet fire flows, and to insure that the water purveyors will be able to meet the new arsenic standards. CWSD is investigating funding opportunities for the project. A feasibility report on linking the various systems together in the Carson Valley is currently being prepared.

Carson City – Lyon County Utilities Intra-tie

A Phase II report was prepared which evaluated costs and relative benefits associated with the construction of a pipeline between Carson City and Mound House, which would provide one of the links between existing water systems in the Carson River watershed. The link would help to meet future water demands, enhance water supply flexibility in response to emergency situations (e.g. fire flows and drought) and, potentially, lower costs and improve water quality for customers across political boundaries. In November 2002, both Carson City and Lyon County signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further investigate the feasibility of sending the waste water generated in Mound House to the Carson City Waste Water Treatment Plant for treatment. Carson City, Lyon County and Carson Water Subconservancy District also signed a MOU to up-size a water distribution system that Carson City is proposing to construct to serve water in the eastern portion of Carson City to the county line with Lyon County. Since Mound House area does not need any additional water today, the water line will not be extended into Lyon County until sometime in the future.

For more information on these projects, please contact Ed James at 775-887-7456 or ed@cwsd.org.

Marlette-Hobart Water Supply System

The Marlette-Hobart Water Supply System (MHWS) is an historical system of impoundments originally developed in the 1870’s to transmit water to the Comstock region of Nevada. The MHWS is currently the sole water delivery system to Virginia City and also provides water to Carson City. CWSD has been investigating options for increased utilization of the MHWS as the system is a source of high-quality water for municipal, industrial, and commercial use.

This system has been under-utilized in recent decades as the population in the Carson River watershed as grown. CWSD contracted with Brown and Caldwell to investigate a phased approach to increase surface water volume to Carson City and to upgrade the capacity of the existing MWHS System. The study evaluated the following potential improvements:

Ø Repair and maintenance of specific portions of the existing system observed to be in poor or non-functional condition;

Ø Construction of a parallel pipeline between the Incline Tunnel exit and the Red House Diversion Facility;

Ø Construction of a borehole from Marlette Lake to Hobart Reservoir to collect, by gravity flow, waters for which the State of Nevada holds certificated rights;

Ø Construction of a permanent pumping station attached to the existing pipeline from Marlette Lake to the Hobart Creek drainage;

Ø Increased storage capacity of Marlette Lake and/or Hobart Reservoir;

Ø Construction of a parallel pipeline between the Tanks and the Ash Canyon Water Treatment facility;

Ø Construction of higher capacity delivery systems, recharge basins and supply wells on the alluvial fans immediately to the west of Carson City to receive diverted surface water from the expanded system.

Recommendations from this study include the following:

Ø The repair of the East Slope Drainage collection system;

Ø Construction of infiltration basins to the west of Carson City and pipelines to deliver overflow waters to them;

Ø Construction of a new pipeline from the Tanks to the Ash Canyon Water Treatment Plants;

Ø Construction of a permanent pumping station at Marlette Lake to replace the temporary mobile pump or construction of a subsurface conduit (partially cased borehole) to deliver water from Marlette Lake by gravity flow to the Hobart Creek drainage.

RECHARGE PROJECTS

Projected population growth and related water demand in the Carson River Watershed will require optimal approaches to managing surface and ground water resources. Due to limited upstream surface storage capabilities in the Watershed, CWSD is evaluating the feasibility of storing water underground in alluvial fan aquifers. Proposed project sites are located within Douglas, Lyon and Churchill Counties.

The projects will allow existing surface water rights to be placed to beneficial municipal and industrial use.

The projects include taking water from a tributary of the Carson River during high flow periods and spreading it on portions of the alluvial fan. Since alluvial fans are made up of loose gravels and sands, the water should percolate easily through the material and enter the groundwater below. Measuring devices are installed on the surface and in the ground to monitor changes in groundwater levels.

Recently, the USGS has completed its modeling of the groundwater movement at the Pine Nut recharge site. Due to dry conditions for the last three years, the USGS has not been able to complete its study using gravity survey to monitor groundwater mounding and movement through the aquifer. The consulting firm Brown and Caldwell is currently investigating the feasibility of Lyon County storing its Carson River water rights in the ground in the Dayton area. The consulting firm Water Research & Development, Inc is investigating storing surface water in the Dead Camel Mountain area which in the future could be a water supply for Churchill County.

For more information on the recharge projects please contact Ed James at ed@cwsd.org or (775) 887-7456.

CWSD WATER RIGHTS

Over the years, CWSD has been accumulating water rights through acquisitions or donations. CWSD is currently investigating how best to manage the water rights currently owned, and any accumulated in the future, for multiple uses including environmental and recreational enhancement. The two largest water rights currently owned by CWSD are Mud Lake and Lost Lakes.

The Mud Lake water rights (526.2 AF) are stored in Mud Lake Reservoir in Douglas County, Nevada. In the wintertime this water is released into the Carson River and flows on to Carson City. The water is them pumped through two induction wells and is utilized by Carson City for municipal and industrial uses.

In 2001, CWSD purchased Lost Lakes water rights (219.0 AF). Lost Lakes is located at the headwaters of the West Fork of the Carson River in Alpine County, California. In 2002, CWSD released the water in the fall to help augment flows in the West Fork. A portion of the water right was also utilized by Carson City.

RIVER RESTORATION PROJECTS

The CWSD works with numerous agencies and organizations to restore the Carson River by providing funding and contract administration assistance for numerous river restoration projects. These projects are aimed at creating or enhancing riparian habitat, mitigating severe erosion, restoring geomorphic form and function where feasible and ultimately improving water quality. The primary objectives of these projects are as follows:

· Use Natural Resource Conservation Service approved bio-engineering techniques, that utilize natural vegetation (i.e., willow bundles, root wads, brush mattresses) in combination with hard engineering structures (e.g. rock streambarbs, toe rock);

· Reduce accelerating rates of stream bank erosion;

· Re-establish connection to the floodplain where feasible;

· Re-establish riparian vegetation and increase habitat for aquatic invertebrates, native fisheries, migratory and neo-tropical birds;

· Use an interdisciplinary team of professionals;

· Encourage and incorporate landowner and other stakeholder involvement;

Work towards long-term improvements in water quality which include lower water temperatures, decreased turbidity and lower concentrations of nutrients and total suspended solids.

For more information regarding Carson River Restoration Projects please contact Genie Azad at 775-887-9005 or genie@cwsd.org.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION

The CWSD sponsors many community outreach and education programs throughout the watershed including Carson River Work Days, Markleeville Creek Day, and bio-engineering workshops. We also visit local schools and work in the classrooms to promote watershed awareness. Other community outreach and education projects include the following:

Carson River Report

The CWSD sponsors and hosts a monthly television show dedicated to issues and activities within the Carson River Watershed. Hosted by Ed James (CWSD, General Manager) the show provides outreach to all communities within the Watershed. Filming is provided by Nevada Video Productions and is aired on local access channel throughout the Watershed.

Previous shows have focused on such topics as the restoration efforts at Leviathan Mine (a superfund site on the Carson River), the Marlette-Hobart Water Supply System, and the Dayton River Project. For more information please contact Ed James at 775-887-7456 or ed@cwsd.org.

Watershed Map Project

The Education Working Group of the Carson River Coalition is developing a poster that will be an artistic rendering of the Carson River Watershed. The poster will contain history, facts, and information about the Watershed and will be used as part of a watershed awareness campaign for residents and visitors of the watershed. The poster can be used during presentations about the watershed, distributed at environmentally focused events, and be made available to groups that have an interest in promoting watershed awareness.

The map project will be complete March 2003. For more information about the Watershed Map Project please contact Genie Azad at (775) 887-9005 or genie@cwsd.org.

The Flow Newsletter

The CWSD sponsors and serves as editor for a newsletter dedicated to news of the plans, projects and people of the Carson River Watershed. The newsletter is published quarterly. For more information about the newsletter or submittal of articles please contact Peggy Pollyea or Genie Azad at 775-887-7450.

CARSON RIVER PHOSPHORUS STUDY

Total phosphates, suspended sediment and turbidity commonly exceed beneficial use criteria in the Carson River. The objective of this study is to identify and quantify the sources of the contaminants. Results of the study could provide public officials with the necessary information to design proper remedial measures, including the establishment of total maximum daily loads (TMDLs). The study began in July 2000 is being done in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey. Project completion date is September 2003.

The project has been separated into the following six tasks:

Task 1-Literature search and data compilation. All available literature containing total phosphates and suspended sediment data from the Carson River has been collected and the suitability of the data has been evaluated.

Task 2-GIS database. A GIS database will be compiled and used to map critical river reaches, monitor sites and the areas contributing excessive amounts of phosphorus and suspended sediments.

Task 3-Reconnaissance of the Carson River. Aerial photographs, aerial digital soil maps, and ground surveillance will be used to identify sources of total phosphates and suspended sediment to the river. These data are also being used to determine the location of water and soil sampling sites.

Task 4-Water quality and soil sampling. Water samples will be collected from the Carson River and its major tributary streams for total phosphates, orthophosphate, total suspended solids, suspended sediment, and turbidity during high and low flows. Any groundwater discharge noticed will also be sampled. If possible, water samples will also be collected during periods of irrigation return flow, animal feed lots, dairies, golf course, and urban drainage. Soil samples will be collected from areas suspected of contributing high concentrations of total phosphates and suspended sediment to the river. An evaluation of phosphorus in sediment cores collected by the USGS from Lahontan Reservior in 1984 will also be made and may provide an idea of historic input from the Carson River.

Task 5-Load calculations. Estimates of loads of total phosphates and suspended sediment in the river will be calculated for several stations. These calculations may indicate specific reaches of the river where total phosphates and suspended sediment are introduced into the river.

Task 6-Data interpretation and report publication. The USGS will publish a final report containing compilation and interpretation of all the data collected during the study. The report should be published by September 30, 2003.

For more information regarding the phosphorus study please contact Ed James at 775-887-7456 or ed@cwsd.org.

TALL WHITE TOP PROGRAM

The Carson River is experiencing infestation of the invasive, non-native, noxious weed known as tall whitetop (TWT). Failure to control TWT will allow the invasive weed to interfere with not only the rivers ability to function but could also be spread to agricultural and urban areas within the watershed. The Carson Water Subconservancy District in conjunction with 17 other agencies and organizations began a TWT program along the Carson River.

The goal of the program is to 1) map the locations of the weed; 2) begin to control the spread of the weed, and 3) to educate the public about the dangers of the weed. The project area encompasses the beginning of the Carson River in Douglas County and extends to Lake Lahontan in the lower part of the watershed.

Dangers of TWT invasion is that it out-competes the native vegetation and interferes with the natural re-vegetation of willows, cottonwoods, and other preferred riparian species. This results in the reduction of forage value and degrades wildlife habitat. TWT also increases the salinity of the soil, decreasing the ability of other less salt-tolerate plants to compete. TWT reduces the ability of taller species to grow reducing available shade to the river, which increases the water temperature and lowers dissolved oxygen levels. TWT also increases sedimentation loads to the river by decreasing bank stabilization.

Funding for the program is provided in part by a Clean Water Act Section 319 Grant, established to control nonpoint source water pollution. For more information about the TWT program please contact Peggy Pollyea at (775) 887-1260 or peggy@cwsd.org.

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