By Lori Bellis, Great Basin Group Executive Committee member
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has halted the project planning process.
The proposed project intended to use federal funds from the NRCS Watershed Protection and Prevention Program (PL 83-566) to identify improvements within the Truckee River Watershed that would provide flood protection and improve agricultural water management within the Steamboat Ditch system. The initial project proposal included 15 miles of pipe through Reno’s urban area. A place lush with vegetation and wildlife where many people enjoy walking and cycling. The public outcry was swift and loud. According to an NRCS spokesperson, they received over 1,500 e-mails and 150 voicemails. The “Save the Steamboat Ditch” petition has over 2,600 signatures.
The NRCS news release stated that “In consideration of public comments received to date, and an intent to re-evaluate the feasibility, scope and extent of the project, as well as the effectiveness of the proposed project to meet conservation criteria; and identify the level of technical services that would be required to complete the project, the planning process has been halted at this time. “
Here are a few comments included in the Sierra Club Great Basin Group’s letter:
- The Steamboat Ditch has been an ephemeral waterway and greenspace for over 100 years. This project should view the ditch in this context and not just as an irrigation delivery system.
- Preservation of the earthen canal where mature vegetation and wildlife habitat exist should be a project priority.
- Although the maintenance road was not originally intended for public recreation, it has been used by the public for recreation for many decades. Consequently, this project needs to take into consideration preserving the recreational and aesthetic aspects of current use.
- Identify specific areas of concern (flooding, erosion, etc.) and address them individually, with the least amount of structural improvement to resolve the issue.
- Analyze the increased flood potential on downslope properties created by piping. The open ditch captures storm water along its entire length, not just at creek intersections.
- Consider alternatives to the location, and necessity, of piping.
- Improvements to the diversion dam should include fish passage and kayak safe-passage or portage.
The Sierra Club's letter is available here.
Frank Mullen’s excellent article in the RNR has more detailed information here.
Comments are still being accepted through February 15th.
A big Thank you! to everyone who submitted comments. Community involvement makes a difference!
Original blogpost from January 11, 2021
Do you spend time on the Steamboat Ditch “trail” through Reno?
The US Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) is proposing a project sponsored by the Washoe County Water Conservation District (WCWCD) on behalf of the Steamboat Canal & Irrigation Company (SCIC) to use federal funds to make improvements within the Truckee River Watershed to provide flood protection and improve agricultural water management within SCIC's system.
Constructed in 1880, the historic Steamboat Ditch extends approximately 48 miles from the Stateline diversion dam in Verdi, along the Carson Range foothills through West and Southwest Reno, terminating in the Steamboat Hills area south of Reno. Although the ‘Steamboat Ditch Trail’ is used extensively in the urban area by the public for walking, running and cycling, it is not an official trail, it’s a SCIC maintenance road that crosses the private property of adjacent landowners. The SCIC has an easement for access, but it is not a public easement, which is why some landowners have closed their sections of the trail. West of the Hunter Creek trailhead, it is on Forest Service Land with public access, as are several sections with conservation easements.
Some of the proposed project improvements include replacing the diversion dam. The dam does not allow for fish passage. It also is not safe for kayaking and does not have a kayak portage. The project is also proposing to replace the open canal with 14 miles of pipe through Reno to conserve water loss through seepage. Converting to a pipe would mean losing the vegetation and wildlife habitat in the piped section.
Would you like to see fish passage and/or safe kayak passage included at the diversion dam? Do you have ideas about specific sections that should or should not be piped or concreted in? Are there specific areas of concern for flood control or erosion? Do you use the maintenance road for recreation and appreciate the access to this linear greenspace? Would you like that access to be public?
To learn more and provide a comment, please visit the project website at: http://truckeeriver.nvwatershed.com/ The comment period ends on February 16th. It’s important to voice your concerns and desires now, during the scoping phase. As more information becomes available, it will be posted to the Sierra Club Great Basin Group facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/scgbg
The Sierra Club is currently drafting a letter. Comments will include:
- The Steamboat Ditch has been an ephemeral waterway and greenspace for over 100 years. This project should view the ditch in this context and not just as an irrigation delivery system.
- Preservation of the earthen canal where mature vegetation and wildlife habitat exist should be a project priority. Piping should be considered as a last resort, and only where no other option is viable.
- The current diversion dam does not allow for fish passage. Work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nevada Department of Wildlife to determine the most appropriate structure to allow for fish passage.
- Identify specific areas of concern (flooding, erosion, etc.) and address them individually, with the least amount of structural improvement to resolve the issue.
- Analyze the increased flood potential on downslope properties created by piping. The open ditch captures stormwater along its entire length, not just at creek intersections.Although the maintenance road was not originally intended for public recreation, it has been used by the public for recreation for many decades. Consequently, this project needs to take into consideration preserving the recreational and aesthetic aspects of current use.
Please contact us at toiyabe.chapter@Sierraclub.org if you own property adjacent to the Steamboat Ditch, are aware of any current conservation easements or public access areas, or would like to be more involved with researching this project.