About the District
Carson-Truckee Water Conservancy District was formed in 1958 under the Nevada State Statue #541 and is a political subdivision of the State of Nevada. Business is conducted under the rules and regulations governing all state government entities, it holds regular monthly meetings and public budget hearings.
The District is eligible to receive property taxes from the six counties it comprises. Each county assessor may include the District in a combined property tax billing for all taxing entities. Property tax payments would be collected by the county treasurer and apportioned to the District on a regular basis. Currently, the District is funded from Consolidated Tax Distribution and Fair Share taxes.
The District entered into an agreement with US Army Corps of Engineers in July, 1973 to Operate and Maintain the Truckee River from the California-Nevada State line downstream through Reno to the Glendale Bridge channel improvements under the Martis Creek Lake O&M Agreement. Under this Agreement, the District along with USACE grant encroachment permits for entities to operate within the boundaries of the Truckee River.
The District has also implemented a program funding river restoration and a weed abatement program to help eliminate tall white top and other noxious weeds along the waterways within the District.
The initial purpose of Carson-Truckee Water Conservancy District was to facilitate the development of up stream storage on the Truckee River and Carson River (to include Stampede Dam and Reservoir on the Truckee and Watasheamu Dam and Reservoir on Carson). As such, its regional authority spans through several local jurisdictions based upon the geographical reaches of the Truckee and Carson Rivers. The District encompasses all of Carson City, Churchill and Washoe Counties, and includes parts of Douglas, Lyon, and Storey Counties. The District’s Board of Directors is comprised of ten members as follows:
A representative each from:
- Carson City
- Churchill County
- Douglas County
- Lyon County
- Storey County
- Washoe County
- Carson Water Subconservancy District
- The Truckee-Carson Irrigation District
- The Truckee Meadows Water Authority
- The Washoe County Water Conservation District
Directors are appointed by the Governor from nominations made by the respective governing authorities of the above-referenced jurisdictions/entities. The Directors elect a President/Chairman and Vice President annually. The Board of Directors meets once a month and has an annual budget hearing. Special meetings may also be held at the call of the President or a majority of Directors. In addition to its ten members, the Board of Directors has a non-member Secretary/Treasurer, who performs daily functions of the District.
The District agreed to maintain the 14,000 cfs capacity based upon assurances from Washoe County and the City of Reno that they would maintain their reaches of the river. These responsibilities were reaffirmed in 1973, consequent to completion of the Martis Creek Dam and Reservoir, and pursuant to the “Martis Creek Agreement” and Martis Creek Lake Operation and Maintenance Manual”.
In conjunction with its duty to maintain a minimum channel capacity in the stretch of the Truckee River, the District reviews applications for river channel encroachment permits to assure no encroachments are made to the river channel that would interfere with the minimum conveyance capacity.
More generally, the District supports and sponsors projects within its jurisdiction that conserve, facilitate, or develop water resource projects and/or provide for the greatest beneficial use of water within the District.