SACRAMENTO, Calif. (July 1, 2013) – The federal plan to reduce flood risk along the Truckee River near Reno, Nev., moved closer to reality this month as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District released its draft report and environmental impact statement for the Truckee Meadows Flood Control Project.
The Corps has been working with its local sponsor, the Truckee River Flood Management Authority, to find a plan that would reduce the flood risk to lives and property along the Truckee River, and help avoid a repeat of the record flooding that hit the region in January 1997, causing more than $450 million in reported damage.
The Corps’ plan proposes flood risk management features along approximately six miles of the Truckee River from U.S. Route 395 to the town of Vista, Nev., including:
• 31,000 linear feet of levees,
• 9,650 linear feet of floodwalls,
• 60 acres of floodplain terraces,
• 12,900 linear feet of scour protection at 14 locations,
• 26.42 acres of land transformed into flowage easement, and a
• 3,100-feet-long box culvert to help convey water along North Truckee Drain.
The proposed project would also add recreation features, such as:
• 13 fishing access locations,
• 50 individual picnic areas,
• 4 kayak/canoe input areas,
• 18,600 linear feet of recreation trails, and
• One small and one medium group picnic shelter with access to parking, restrooms and a playground.
“We believe our plan provides a great opportunity for federal involvement to help reduce the flood risk for this region,” said Corps project manager Glen Reed.
The Truckee River Flood Management Authority supports the Corps’ plan as part of their comprehensive strategy to reduce flood risk along the Truckee River, and would provide at least 35 percent of the project’s funding.
“The members of our agency, which includes the cities of Reno and Sparks and Washoe County, support the Corps’ plan and are eager to work with the Corps to build the necessary flood risk management features,” said Jay Aldean, executive director for TRFMA.
Nearly 60 people attended two public meetings, held June 12 in Reno, Nev., and June 19 in Sparks, Nev., to hear what the Corps’ plan proposes, ask questions and provide comments.
The Corps is accepting comments on its plan through July 7, and expects to release its final report and plan later this fall.
“This is a big step toward finalizing this study and being able to build the project, but there’s still a lot left to do in a very short amount of time to meet our end-of-year deadline,” Reed said.
The Corps’ goal is to submit a Chief’s Report, a final recommended plan approved by Corps headquarters, to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works by the end of this year. The project would also still need to obtain Congressional authorization and appropriation before any work could begin.