Stormwater manager talks to Rotary

Douglas County Stormwater Program Manger Courtney Walker spoke to Minden-Tahoe Rotarians on Dec. 14.

“The goal of the county is slow the flow — to get the water to not come down all at the same time,” she said.

Ruhenstroth, Fish Springs, Buckeye Creek and Johnson Lane are impacted by the runoff from the Pine Nuts. The eastside of the Valley is strewn with streams, tributaries, and drainage ditches.

All of the waterways out of the Pine Nuts are connected, trying to get to the Carson River. The extreme weather in early 2023 resulted in debris flowing off the Pine Nuts causing erosion, flooding and severe access issues for residents. For Ruhenstroth, the county’s drainage master plan includes a retention basin upstream to address issues before the debris flows downhill. They are working with BLM and private property owners, estimated cost $12 million. Pine Nut Creek in Fish Springs, water flows year round.

Preliminary flood control study shows the need for a series of retention basins and an upstream dam. The county acquired a parcel to do some upstream retention in this direction. Studies on Buckeye Creek also focused on upstream retention basins ($40 million). The county is doing a Phase 2 study to see if the water can be diverted to the north in lieu of the $40 million project. Johnson Lane has a lot of issues. The county has applied for a grant to purchase an acre on Pamela to address potential flooding in the Johnson Lane area. By the way, BLM is not interested in local water issues. They are not a flood control agency so do not provide any resources. There is no funding stream to do proactive waterway management (unlike Carson City which assesses $30 per parcel storm management fee). The county has limited equipment, limited money and resources.

Let’s hope that Winter 22-23 was a once in a 50 year storm.