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October 2002 Newsletter
Truckee River Yacht Club

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TRUCKEE RIVER WORK DAY—OCTOBER 20

Give something back to your river!

If John Champion were still alive, he’d be picking you off the street by tapping you on the shoulder or jumping in front of you and asking you to put in a couple of hours of time on behalf of your river. He’d ask you where your drinking water comes from. Then he’d ask you how much you cared about clean drinking water. He’d ask you if you fished. Then he’d drag you down to the river to begin enjoying our community’s centerpiece. You’d never look at the river in the same way again!

On Sunday, October 20 at 9 AM, put on your gloves, bring your rakes, pruners, scrub and paint brushes and brooms (after all, we’ll be nearing Halloween) down to Champion Park (just east of the Reno Gazette-Journal on Kuenzli) or your preferred section of the river. Also bring water.

Spiff up your section of the river between Patagonia to the west and Vista To the east. Be a River Champion.

By volunteering, you’ll gain satisfaction from working with others. The river will be cleaner. And you’ll be treated to surprises at the end of the work time.

PLEASE CALL DON VETTER AT 323-4500 TO VOLUNTEER. WE MUST HAVE A COUNT OF VOLUNTEERS.

TRYC TO BRING FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT SPEAKERS TO COMMUNITY

TRYC is bringing in outside authorities on floodplain management, a related aspect to our overall flood project. Three speakers will be presenting. Ben Urbonas, P.E. is the Chief of Master Planning for the South Platte River Programs in Denver and raised enthusiasm about floodplain techniques at a previous appearance in Reno. Julia Fonseca, P.E. works for the Pima County Flood Control District in Tucson where she has helped re-establish floodplains, and develop habitat and watershed protection plans. Doug Plascencia, P.E., a private consultant in Phoenix, has assisted a number of communities in developing policies and guidelines for floodplain management consistent with our “Living River” concept. The meeting, “Sustaining our Quality of Life through Floodplain Management,” will be held on Monday, October 21st from 3 PM-7PM at Redhawk Golf Club Events Center. Take Vista Blvd north. Follow the signs to Redhawk. Turn left at the Windmill and go under the arch—straight ahead to the Events Center. The community, planners and elected officials will be invited.

Our speakers from outside were selected because they work in terrains and with types of flooding similar to what we experience in the Truckee Meadows. They will address FEMA and Corps needs, developing a floodplain management plan, retrofitting solutions, and some planning issues.

Please attend this meeting if you’re concerned about flooding, floodproofing and flood management. Don Vetter, Board member, has been working with Redhawk for our meeting space. All speakers are generously contributing their time, so plan to attend.

Finally, stay for dinner or a glass of wine and enjoy the view and lingering autumn sunset.

CAN WE DO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL WITH THE MAPES SPACE? PLEASE?

GET OUT TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 5

With the addition of hanging planters and flower boxes on river bridges (thanks, Marna and the Parks Department), the Mapes space seemed more dingy than usual. Can we at least put some boxed trees on the lot for the time being? The holiday season seems like a perfect time to add evergreens., similar to what happens along the river walk during the winter holidays. Even if the ice rink goes back (and we hope it will), some vegetation adds to the diversity of the cityscape. During the summer some trees would provide the illusion of shade. The area is very visible from approaches on several streets. Why not make it inviting, even if it can’t be accessible?

The Reno City Council and the Redevelopment Agency have met in Special Sessions to consider the following:

Direction and possible action regarding the Special Events portion of the R-1 Bond: Specifically, a proposal that the City purchase from the Redevelopment Agency a portion or portions of the site formerly known as “the Mapes site” in order to permanently construct a public plaza, with a seasonal ice skating rink and a proposal that the Redevelopment Agency then use such proceeds to actively pursue the purchase of a portion or portions of the site roughly referred to as “the Bergendahl site” with the express purpose of allowing a one year time period to arrange for the financing and construction of a AAA baseball stadium at that location.

This is exciting news. In addition, the City will consider implementing the kayak course with the funds. We do not know all the details yet, but the thought of a public plaza with ice skating in front of City Hall (formerly the old FNB building for us old timers) is breathtaking! It would open doors, and we think, become a popular measure! It also means that the voters—THAT MEANS YOU!!!—must turn out on November 5. Nonprofit groups may not support candidates, but they can support Ballot Issues such as R-1. This is the best incentive to get out and vote YES that we can think of!

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY PROGRESS AT McCARRAN RANCH

The Nature Conservancy completed its acquisition of McCarran Ranch in mid-September, ending two years of complex negotiations over easement and property boundaries with the seller, Tahoe Reno Industrial Center. The milestone event means that five miles and 300 acres of prime riparian lands on the lower Truckee River will be protected in perpetuity. TNC purchased the lands to restore the riparian forest that has nearly disappeared on the lower river, and to bring back wetland and in-stream habitat.

A successful 10-acre pilot revegetation project is already underway, with thousands of cottonwood cuttings planted last fall having grown to two to five feet tall. Conservancy staff are learning hard lessons about irrigation, weed control, and herbivorous meadow voles, rabbits and deer, which they will apply to more ambitious restoration efforts that lay ahead.

With financial assistance from the Cities of Reno and Sparks, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, and the Bureau of Reclamation, TNC plans to begin major reconstruction of the river channel next summer. The purpose is to reverse the human-made alterations imposed on river during the last century. A detailed restoration plan has already been completed and will guide TNC's re-creation of a narrower, deeper and more meandering channel. The work should help to raise groundwater by two feet or more, enabling riparian plants to regain their foothold along the river.

AN IRON FIST IN A VELVET GLOVE—Food for Thought

“If you’re principled and you persist, you will win.”

[Excepted from an editorial by Betsy Reifsnider, Executive Director of Friends of the River, following Huey Johnson’s keynote address at the Friends annual dinner in April. Huey Johnson is also a friend of this newsletter editor.]

As we watch the Administration gut the Clean Water Act and hear the Justice Department refer to environmental activists as “enemies in our own backyard,” it is good to remember the words of Huey Johnson, former California Resources Secretary, the 2001 recipient of the United Nation’s annual environmental prize. Huey Johnson is called a catalyst and champion for environmental protection throughout the world.

Huey called us to renew our spirit. He told us intensity, passion and concern rise beyond comfort to save our rivers and wild places. He spoke of the “terror of truth,” that ultimately truth will carry the day and that there is an enormous advantage in being strong and principled.

Most intriguing was his admonition to become an iron fist in a velvet glove. He explained that “we save rivers in the minds of people,” especially the minds of urban voters. Through the velvet glove of art, poetry, music and photography, we can draw the public in, and we can encourage individuals and organizations to put into public ownership the lands and waters that are really owned by the American public.”

When we feel under attack, we can follow Huey Johnson’s example: “Keep trudging. You can outlast them.” Add to that TRYC's own Rose Strickland’s standard of marching from defeat to defeat, but on to ultimate victory! The river can begin to speak for itself.

SERIOUS STUFF—LIKE WATER!

With the long hot summer just ending, and with our reservoirs, especially Tahoe, lower than normal, now’s the time to begin your rain/snow dances. If we have another relatively dry winter followed by another summer such as this one, we may indeed be looking at drought restrictions.

It makes sense now to use what water you really need, but don’t waste water.

Many in this community are under the assumption that conserved water goes for new growth. WRONG!!!! Every drop you don’t use stays in upstream storage for use next summer. Saved water is credited for drought storage. The upstream storage reservoirs provide summertime recreation. Swimming, water skiing, sailing, fishing, kayaking are all things we do to cool off in the summer. Boca, Stampede, Prosser, Donner and Tahoe are the bodies of water we rely on. But they serve multi-purposes. They store your drinking and irrigation water. They provide flood flow control. And they provide your summer recreation. So the water you waste today, won’t be there tomorrow.

We need to think about hosing down our patios, washing our cars without an automatic turnoff, overwatering our yards, running the water while brushing teeth. It all adds up. Not wasting water means better flows in the river. We all need to do our part!

WATER USE EFFICIENCY
Ventura County Star - 9/22/02
By Terri Thomas, Ventura County waste analyst
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Editors Note: Everywhere, we are seeing the numbers of articles about drought increase. Droughts have impacts for rivers, even ours. The entire West seems locked in a serious drought, while the world community is seeing serious shortages of safe drinking water for nearly 2/3 of the world’s population. As summer ebbs it is OK to use what you need, but please don’t waste water! Here are some tips!

Wise water use must be a way of life in Southern California, not just during drought. As the population increases, future water supplies are by no means dependable.

The average Southern California home uses 384 gallons of water daily, indoors and out. The average apartment or condo uses 256 gallons daily. An individual uses between 100 and 140 gallons of water each day.

Consumers can do many things to stretch the supplies. Follow these 10 tips and save hundreds of gallons each month.

  1. Water the lawn only when needed. Step on the grass. If it springs back when you lift your foot, it doesn't need water. Turn off the automatic setting on your sprinklers or set it for more days between watering. You can save 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.

  2. Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints. Every leak stopped can save 20 gallons a day.

  3. Don't run the hose while washing your car. Use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse. This can save 150 gallons each time. Better yet, use the local car wash. This keeps soaps, heavy metals and petroleum products from going down the storm drain and polluting the waterways.

  4. Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors. This can save 500 to 800 gallons a month.

  5. Run only full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher, saving 300 to 800 gallons a month.

  6. Shorten showers. Just a one- or two-minute reduction per person can save up to 700 gallons a month.

  7. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks, saving 150 gallons or more each time and keeping pollutants out of drains.

  8. Don't use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket. Those extra flushes can add up to 400 to 600 gallons a month.

  9. Capture tap water. While you wait for the water to get hot, catch the flow in a watering can to use later on plants or the garden. This can save 200 to 300 gallons a month.

  10. Don't water sidewalks, driveways or gutters. Adjust sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden where it belongs -- and only there. This can save 500 gallons a month.

On the Net: www.mwd.dst.ca.us and www.clwa.org/ConserveTips.htm

The Truckee Meadows  toilet rebate program is still going until the end of 2002. Call 786-2300!

The Fish Tree

Driving on Riverside Drive the other day, I had to opportunity to enjoy the “fish tree” once again. If our old cottonwoods need to be removed for safety reasons, its such a nice approach to recycle the tree into art. That’s exactly what happened when local businessman, Bill Thornton, provided the artist. In addition the art reflects the river and its fish leaping on a hot summer afternoon. The image is refreshing and cooling. Our thanks to Bill Thornton, very belatedly, for making the loss into an invigorating success!

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