Summary

Description

This report discusses water needs and availability in western Nevada. There is not enough usable water from the Truckee and Carson Rivers to satisfy the demands of the Lake Tahoe area, all the irrigated areas along the Carson and Truckee Rivers, Pyramid Lake and the Wildlife Management Areas. This is on the basis of the present status of development, regardless of whether the water was more efficiently transported. The Department of Interior has negotiated a package agreement with Truckee Carson Irrigation District whereby the District will decrease its ultimate water right acreage from 87,500 to 74,500 acres. The agreement also provides for a reduction in the Districts historical water use from an annual receipt of about 496,500 acre feet to a maximum annual use of 406,000 acre feet. The reduction in water supply necessitates rehabilitation of Project features and the Districts distribution system in order to serve the irrigated lands, the Carson Lake Pasture and Stillwater Wildlife Management Area with adequate water based upon the reduced annual supply.