BOR and TCID plan temporary fix of V-Line canal

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Truckee Carson Irrigation District (TCID) are working to determine a cause for the June 11 breach of the V-Line Canal Lewis Wasteway and complete temporary repairs.

The breach occurred about 10 p.m. on Wednesday, in an area of the V-Line Canal approximately eight miles west of Fallon. The V-Line Canal is a feature of BOR's 102-year-old Newlands Project.

Kenneth Parr, Deputy Area Manager of BOR's Lahontan Basin Area Office in Carson City, said, "Reclamation and TCID are working to complete temporary repairs of the canal so we can deliver water as quickly as possible to affected farmers and wetlands.

"We will complete a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the breach, and we are beginning design construction plans for long-term repair."

No injuries resulted from the breach, and no homes or commercial buildings were damaged, although some residential access roads were affected.

"Reclamation would like to assure the public that safety is our utmost concern while we work to convey water to the farms and wetlands,"Parr said.

The 27-mile-long V-Line Canal serves lands on the south side of the Carson River. The canal originates at the Carson River Diversion Dam, below Lahontan Dam, and provides water to the Fallon area for agricultural and wetlands purposes. The canal is operated and maintained by TCID.

Although also owned by BOR as part of the Newlands Project and operated by TCID, the 32-mile-long Truckee Canal is an entirely separate and distinct waterway.

The Truckee Canal originates at the Derby Diversion Dam and diverts water from the Truckee River to the Lahontan Reservoir.