City of Fernley updates impacts from Tuesday night’s storm, including update on TCID canal

From the City of Fernley

At approximately 8 p.m. on Jan. 10, heavy rains and mild temperatures impacted the City of Fernley. The City’s Public Works Department called in available staff at 9:30 p.m. to monitor several locations throughout the city.

At approximately 11 p.m., city staff and Lyon County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the location of Sage St. and 95A as water began covering the roadway. At this time, it was determined to close both Sage St. and 95A (at the Sage intersection) due to unsafe conditions. At approximately 3 a.m., conditions changed to heavy snow, with whiteout conditions, turning the water‐covered roadways into ice. City staff dispersed throughout the area pumping water and removing standing water in affected areas.

Staff is currently assessing utilities and any potential impacts due to erosion. Sage and 95A have been re‐opened to traffic.

The City is continuing to monitor all areas throughout Fernley, a specific area of concern at this time is the northern entrance into Southwest Meadows Subdivision (Royal Oaks Drive, located on 95A, just south of Fernley High School). NDOT is assessing the roadways into Southwest Meadows due to erosion exposure, as this is a state highway right‐of‐way. In addition, Southwest Gas is on site to monitor gas lines.

At this time, the City is requesting residents who live in Southwest Meadows please use the southern entrance (Big Oaks Drive) for entry/exit purposes until further notice. The City will notify residents as we learn more information.

On Saturday, Jan. 7, the Truckee Carson Irrigation District (TCID) began staffing the canal 24/7 at Derby Dam and Gilpin Spill, and has continued to provide 24‐hour monitoring of the canal. TCID observed the flows from the Truckee River were higher than predicted. In response to this, TCID removed the soft plug of Derby Dam, a pre‐engineered/designed portion of the dam. This effort to remove the soft plug removed pressure, ensuring the preservation of the dam. In the short term, there are no plans to restore the soft plug until it is deemed necessary. TCID is in the process of ramping down canal operations for the month of January.

The canal is subject to federal rules (OCAP); these requirements involve looking at water drawn from both the Truckee River and the Carson River into the canal. Based on projections, the Carson River side will provide a sufficient water supply, therefore TCID will begin operations to shut down drawing water from the Truckee River. By shutting down operations on the Truckee River side, this will also provide favorable timing for TCID to effectively assess and treat the canal for any areas that may need maintenance.

The City will continue to coordinate with Lyon County Emergency Management as required for additional resources, and will continue to actively monitor the flooding and clean up. For more information, please stay tuned to the City of Fernley’s webpage and Facebook page for updates on the situation.

www.cityoffernley.org

https://www.facebook.com/CityofFernley/