Carson River channel cleared before storm hit storm

Removal of a large gravel bar to increase the channel on the East Fork of the Carson River was completed Friday, just ahead of this weekend's storm.

Tom Brooks, owner of the Carson Valley Golf Course, lauded county officials for getting the job done in time. He woke up several times during the night to hear rain but at daybreak, the golf course was intact.

"We need to thank public officials, state agencies and everyone involved for being so quick to react," Brooks said. "They've completed a lot of river projects and our community has done very well as a result."

Mottsville Lane was closed Tuesday afternoon due to standing water, but no other problems were reported, according to Tom Mezzetta, spokesman for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.

The local forecast calls for partly cloudy weather today, those clouds increasing as a front brings snow Thursday and Friday.

Temperatures are expected to drop from the mid- to lower forties the next two days as arctic air moves in, according to reports from the National Weather Service.

The river was running at about 2,700 cubic feet per second Tuesday, more than the average of 200 cubic feet per second, said East Fork Water Master Julian Larrouy.

Snows were falling at the 7,000-foot level Monday afternoon, and those cool temperatures kept the snowpack from melting, he said.

"We received 1.86 inches of precipitation here," Larrouy said. "The total is well over average."

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the East Fork of the Carson River was running at about 6.52 feet, well below flood stage of 9 feet. The West Fork is at 12.73 feet, short of its 14-foot flood stage.

Record-Courier weather watcher George Uebele reported 1.71 inches of rain fell in Sheridan Acres and that wind gusted up to 60 mph on Monday.

Weather watcher Stan Kapler said 1.37 inches of rain fell in Minden over a 24-hour period.

Snow fell in the Valley throughout Tuesday afternoon, but did not stick.

n Susie Vasquez can be reached at svasquez@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 211.