TCID announces allocation, delivery amendments

The Fernley Reporter

The Board of Directors for the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District, at its regular meeting July 5 in Fallon, determined unanimously to reduce the annual water supply allocation for water right holders, in the Carson Division of the Newlands Federal Reclamation Project, from 85 percent to 75 percent.

TCID manager Rusty Jardine said this reduction was made necessary because early season water supply forecasts were not accurate. Moreover, on-going drought, exacerbating already dry soil conditions both in the Newlands Project and throughout the entire region, has resulted in extraordinarily high water transport and application to field losses.

Subject to the availability of water flow to the Truckee Canal, from the Truckee River, the allocation for water right holders in the Truckee Division of the Newlands Project will remain at 85 percent. Water is expected to be available to the Truckee Division through mid-September this year.

In order to lengthen the irrigation season in the Carson Division, the TCID board will institute a temporary delivery shut-down Sept. 1 through Sept. 15. The shut-down is expected to extend the end-of-season date for the Carson Division through Oct. 1. As in past years, without regard to any proposed season ending date, the season will end when a minimum pool of 4,000 acre-feet of water has been reached at Lahontan Reservoir.

TCID is encouraging all water users to carefully coordinate their water deliveries, with the District Water Master and ditch-riders and conserve water wherever possible. In order to maximize delivery efficiency this year, water users should contact the ditch-rider two hours prior to the end time of a delivery run. This process will allow transfer of the water to the next water user timely and without waste.