Farmers Upset Over Reduced Flows In Nevada Canal

Farmers Upset Over Reduced Flows In Nevada Canal
Associated Press via KOLO News8
Posted: 11:20 AM May 9, 2008

FERNLEY, Nev. (AP) - Farmers and ranchers are expressing concern
over reduced flows spurred by a breach of a century-old irrigation canal that flooded hundreds of homes in January in Fernley, about 30 miles east of Reno.

Water for ranches and farms will be at least 10 percent less this growing season, said officials of the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District.

"Basically, less water means fewer crops, less production and less money ... We are looking at some unpleasant financial circumstances," Fallon farmer Mario G. Peraldo told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

The irrigation district, which operates the 31-mile Truckee Canal that takes water from the Truckee River near Fernley to farms and ranches around Fallon, was allowed to reopen the canal on March 21. It had been dry since Jan. 5, when the breach affected about 600 homes in Fernley.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which owns the canal, authorized
the district to initially send water through the canal at 150 cubic feet per second, 20 percent of the canal's operating capacity of 750 cfs.

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