Truckee River Yacht Club Founded 1988
Truckee River Yacht Club
Table of Contents
TOILET REBATE PROGRAM--GET UP TO $210 BACK!!!!
Truckee Meadows residents on public utility water may purchase a ULFT (ultra-low flow toilet) of their choice, install it or have it installed, then get a rebate. The process is simple, your check is usually in the mail within one week of submitting your application. Your old toilet flushing 5 gallons or 3.5 gallons can be replaced with a new one. You will receive your check for $120 for your first replacement, $60 for your second replacement, and if you have a third toilet, you'll get an additional $30, but you have to do them all at once. This is a real opportunity to save money.
The new ULFT's are efficient if you'll spend about $100 or more on the toilet. You get what you pay for. Call 786-2300 before June 30. This program may end then. The water you save goes to storage for drought years such as this one.
Editorial Opinion: REGIONAL PLANNING
We like the stated goals in the Regional Plan Update of efficient and sustainable growth, preserving our resources and open space, and revitalizing and maintaining our neighborhoods, but most everything else in this plan works against these goals. Perhaps it is the huge unincorporated areas of the county that are designated as Spheres of Influence (SOI's) for Reno and Sparks. Those SOI's include the river west through Verdi and east to Tracy. Perhaps it is our lack of trust in the cities to protect Open Space. Cities are good at parks, but they cannot envision Open Space because it has no perceived value, fiscally or socially, in their need to be constantly growing. Because of Nevada tax laws and depreciation, cities and counties are forced to encourage new growth in order to support services and infrastructure. And make no mistake about it: some growth is good and necessary!
Washoe County, on the other hand, has actively supported Open Space by putting an issue on the ballot to acquire sensitive lands (including some along the river) and resources with its $30 million. City of Reno may have a ballot issue for $60 million that includes NO funds for the purchase of sensitive lands, especially those along the river that serve multiple purposes. Sparks is going for a tax vote this fall, but none of that will go for Open Space. In fairness, staff from the Cities of Reno and Sparks have been supportive of restoration related to TMWRF and water quality in the East Truckee River Canyon. Washoe County has also worked harmoniously with the Bureau of Land Management in developing a Joint Open Space Plan. Washoe County has also put into motion the purchase of several key Truckee River parcels. And finally Washoe County has primary financial responsibility for the flood program that is co-sponsored by the Cities.
Washoe County Parks has identified the Truckee River as its #1 area in which to acquire lands for numerous purposes: recreation and Truckee River path extensions, habitat preservation, and as side issues, floodway protection and water quality improvement. The Commissioners have demonstrated care and continuity in protecting the Truckee River. The cities have not. Reno has failed to ever finalize its River Overlay District Plan, worked to abolish the Truckee River Advisory Board (the only citizen oversight committee for the river), or worked to clean up its numerous industrial sites (alias park maintenance yards at Idlewild, Kiezke and 2nd, and Telegraph Street).
The Regional Plan Update makes little if any mention of the Truckee River as the area's most precious natural resource. We would add Peavine, the Sierra Front including Ballardini, Rancho San Rafael and the Huffaker and Steamboat Hills and Red Mountain. The voters of Washoe County passed our $30 million ballot issue with these places especially listed.
Furthermore, while the cities and county participate on the Regional Water Planning Commission (RWPC), they have looked the other direction when it comes to water supply and waste water. The RWPC has just recently completed studies to determine the number of remaining Truckee River water rights in addition to trying to approximate the amount of groundwater in the South Truckee Meadows that remains available for use. The picture is limited. It appears that we will remove more water from the river to bridge the water gap that arises with more residential and commercial construction. We do have water for the immediate future. However, how long can we go before we send the remaining Truckee River water rights to areas where that water was never intended to go--namely to feed the vast SOI's that the cities are proposing. These long linear corridors do nothing to reduce the cost of service and infrastructure. Why should we be sending water potentially to the Mt. Rose Highway? Why should we be pumping Truckee River water to meet deficits in the North Valleys such as Golden Valley, Lemmon Valley, Spanish Springs and Cold Springs. If we do fulfill the goal of keeping growth more compact within the immediate Truckee Meadows, then we need to retain water and enlarge infrastructure to service the increased population here--IF that is the intent.
Finally, the public appears to be very tired of the turf battles between local governments. Resources, human power and service costs need coordination, not battles. This plan seems to be vindictive, mean-spirited and divisive. If that's the vision for the future of southern Washoe County, then this plan hits the nail on the head. It is time to go back to the drawing board to make the policies and goals conform to each other. It is time for the Regional Planning Commission to begin again, perhaps with new faces and new questions. It is time for the Regional Planning Governing Board to be leaders, demonstrating cooperation rather than divisiveness. It's time for Regional Planning to finally work!
EAST TRUCKEE RIVER PLANNING (the Regional Plan)
The Truckee Meadows Regional Final Plan is up of adoption by the Governing Board on May 9.
As the plan stands currently, Sparks will have planning jurisdiction over the East Truckee River Canyon. This replaces a compromise of having Sparks and Washoe County do joint planning for the area.
Somewhat in question are Sparks' financial capacity pending a tax increase to provide services in the canyon and also their practices of allowing steep hillsides to be developed. How hillside sites are prepared can increase water quality problems through more erosion and faster runoff of stormwater. Sparks has little if any experience in managing open space which will be necessary for the water quality programs, habitat restoration and flood management currently under Washoe County supervision. This is the reason the Club hopes for the compromise position for joint planning. Together the two local governments complement each other and are stronger. The river is a critical asset with many positive things beginning to occur; therefore joint planning seems more productive and balanced.
TWO BALD EAGLE DAY IN EAST TRUCKEE RIVER CANYON
Saturday, January 12 was a two-bald eagle day! To see America's symbol with its magnificent white head perched in a cottonwood tree in the East Truckee River Canyon was exciting, but to see two in one day was really exciting. True, they are known to winter in this area, but that they are on our river is pretty special. To learn more about the American bald eagle, check it out on the web. Apparently they can both fly and swim and are known to swoop over the water, snatching fish as they go. They are also carrion eaters at the top of the food chain which has made them susceptible to herbicides and pesticides consumed by those lower on the food chain. They are reported to fly about 30 mph and are fairly common over all of north America.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service and the City of Reno have installed rock barbs in the north side of the river to "protect the sewer intertie and private property." The barbs allegedly collect sediment carried in the river and rebuild the banks. In reality, they may force or aim the water at the opposite shore, causing erosion both up and downstream. We will be watching with great interest how this barb performs. It is located on the former Austin property near the end of Dickerson Road and across from the foot of Foster Drive. Austin has continued to disregard previous requirement set by the City to clean up his land from the 1997 flood. He continues to bulldoze soil around, clear out native vegetation and generally leave a mess.
FLOOD PLANNING--PHASE THREE BEGINS
Elisa Maser continues to shepherd the Community Flood Coalition towards a general consensus flood plan for the Truckee River. The larger Community Flood Coalition met on March 16 to agree on the updates to the plan which is about 30% of the way towards implementation by local governments and the Corps. The group has come to the hard part--the balancing act--where we determine how much we attenuate (now there's a word!), how much we store, detain or retain and how much we pass along downstream. Remaining is the question of cost. We must provide flood protection to the 100 year flood level where possible, keep project costs within reasonable goals and provide for a more natural river with some community amenities.
Phase 2 has been basic design, concept and feasibility. Phase 3 begins the NEPA process during which the Environmental Impact Statement will be written by the Corps.
A very diverse group of people from the business community, local government, residential groups and conservation make up the Coalition. The Corps has been attending every meeting for which we thank Mike Campbell. Mike's team from the Corps has been diligent and responsive in this new public process.
The group is weighing upstream storage with downstream storage with Truckee Meadows storage. It has also developed a number of scenarios to be modeled by Mark Forest of WRC Nevada, Inc. Those compute models are aiding the group in decision making. This group will continue to make recommendations to local governments and the Corps for inclusion into the EIS. Paul Urban of Washoe County Water Resources is the local project manager.
From participating in and observing many of those meetings, those who stay at the table are able to find solutions to their particular issues. Dick Mills of Sparks provided some potential solutions that may allow him to say put. The homeowners in the Hidden Valley area were united in finding a potential solution to their issue--flood walls. Those who failed to attend the meetings or stay the course are those who may unhappy or haven't had their interests addressed in full. This is a lesson in perseverance and persistence.!
The Club had several stalwarts, Dennis Ghiglieri, Commodore, and Rose Strickland, who hung in there through thick and thin. Their courage under duress should say something to the rest.
TNC RIVER RESTORATION PROJECT AT MCCARRAN
Michael Cameron, Truckee River Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy, has implemented the first Truckee River restoration piece at McCarran. Using Chad Gourley as a consultant and volunteers from AmeriCorps, TNC has planted hundreds of small cottonwoods on some low lying acreage along the west end of the old McCarran Ranch. From the freeway, you'll notice white PVC pipe laid out for irrigation. The area is also fenced to protect the young trees from animal damage--deer, rabbits, beaver and more. If the project is successful, it will provide the knowledge to continue the restoration process all along the river. Restoration is important to both water quality and flood management of the river.
WASHOE COUNTY APPROVES GO-AHEAD WITH CANEPA RANCH PROPERTY
In a unanimous vote, Washoe County Commissioners gave Parks Director, Karen Mullen the go-ahead to purchase pieces of the Canepa Ranch on the south side of the river near west of Mogul. The property contains access to the river that will be joined with a parcel previously purchased jointly by the County and the Nevada Division of Wildlife. The property will also provide access to the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Steamboat Ditch Trail as well as wildlife habitat. It contains some very steep terrain, but one small meadow that can be seen from I-80.
Karen had three options to propose. The Commissioners voted for Option 1 which means the County could resell both land and water. The land might become part of the Southern Nevada Public Land Act Purchase Program, meaning the land could go to the US Forest Service, or at Commissioner Galloway suggestion, the land might stay with the County. By reselling the land to the Forest Service would mean that Washoe County could recoup some of its bond money to respend. Groundwater rights might also be resold to recapture some of the bond funds expended.
The purchase could also enhance possibilities of extending the river trail whether or not the property is resold or retained.