This report is intended to provide an update on the effort to repair the Truckee Canal which broke on January 5, 2008, and get the canal back in working order.

As of February 18th, the repair was completed. On March 14 the Acting Regional Director wrote a letter setting forth the conditions to be met before the Truckee Canal could be reopened. A public meeting was held on March 20, 2008 at the Fernley High School to announce that the canal would be reopened no earlier than noon on March 21. Water was released beginning at noon at the initial rate of 50cfs at noon and the Gilpin Spill gates were closed at that same time. The flow was increased incrementally each day at noon at Derby Dam until 150cfs was reached.

The reports necessary to increase the flows to 250cfs were approved on May 8. The flow into the Truckee Canal was increased by 50cfs at noon on May 9 and will be increased another 50cfs at 6:00pm to get to 250cfs.

The May 1 NRCS April-July forecast for the Carson River at Fort Churchill was 75,000 acre-feet, which is 42 percent of average. This will still be enough to supply a 90 percent allocation; however Lahontan Reservoir will be drawn down to 4,000 acre-feet by the end of September. We do not expect much release in September, but do project releases in October and November for some fall seeding for next year.

The Board decided not to reduce the allocation at the May 7 meeting, based on the May 1 forecast. The efficiency for April was much improved over the same time last year, which was encouraging.

By the end of June the total inflow from the Carson River should be known and a decision about holding back some water for fall seeding will be made at that time. The 70 percentile is 65,000 acre-feet, which would supply about an 86 percent allocation.

These projections are based on increasing Truckee Canal diversions up to 350cfs. If this does not come about, there will need to be another decrease in the allocation.