May 14, 2008
Contact: Ron Nelson
(530) 273-6185
Or: Dave Carter
(530) 265-NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
GRASS VALLEY - Seasonal runoff from the mountain
snowpack is projected to be about two-thirds of the annual average, it was
reported at Wednesday’s (May 14) meeting of the Nevada Irrigation District Board
of Directors.
In a water outlook briefing to the board, NID Water Operations Manager Don Wight
cited a May 1 snowpack at 72 percent of average and a May-July runoff forecast
at 67 percent of average.
He said NID would make full deliveries of water customers this year and would
curtail the irrigation season promptly on Oct. 15. “We’re going to run a tight
water delivery system,” he said.
NID currently holds 198,450 acre-feet of water in its reservoirs, 96 percent of
average for this time of year, but scant runoff will have impacts.
Wight said the below average year would limit hydroelectric energy production
and impact NID’s carryover storage for 2009.
Water recreation is also expected to be affected by lower than normal reservoir
levels later this year. Wight said one of two boat ramps at Jackson Meadows
would be out of water by Labor Day and that the Cascade Shores boat ramp at
Scotts Flat remains in question for the Labor Day weekend.