Project will support water supply reliability for farmers and irrigators in the region
Truckee Canal at the Derby Diversion Dam on the Truckee River in Nevada
SPARKS, Nev. – The Bureau of Reclamation and Truckee-Carson Irrigation District today broke ground on a $35 million construction project funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to restore safe, long-term operation of the Truckee Canal. The event marked the beginning of Phase 1 of a multi-phased construction project known as the Truckee Canal Extraordinary Maintenance Project. Phase 1 includes lining approximately 3.5 miles of the earthen canal in the most vulnerable stretch in the city of Fernley to support structural integrity and community safety.
Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton joined today’s groundbreaking event and highlighted the Department of the Interior’s ongoing investments in aging infrastructure and water management.
“The Truckee Canal modernization project reaffirms our commitment to making the investments necessary to safeguard community water supplies and revitalize water delivery systems,” Touton said. “President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, combined with the Inflation Reduction Act, provides transformational funding to invest in our nation’s western water and power infrastructure – all while rebuilding our existing projects to withstand a changing hydrology.”
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $8.3 billion to Reclamation over five years to fund aging infrastructure projects, water efficiency and recycling programs, rural water projects, and WaterSMART grants to ensure that irrigators, Tribes, and communities receive adequate assistance and support. The Department of the Interior announced $35 million in funding to repair the Truckee Canal in May, as part of a $240 million investment in aging water infrastructure.
This project will restore a sense of safety for the city of Fernley, where a canal breach in 2008 damaged 590 properties and caused significant flooding, and will provide water supply reliability for farmers and irrigators throughout the region. It is yet another example of how investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law are supporting community collaboration and locally led partnerships.
The Truckee Canal originates at the Derby Diversion Dam on the Truckee River, approximately 20 miles east of Reno and ends at Lahontan Reservoir. As part of the Newlands Projects, one of the first Reclamation projects in the country, the canal provides water for over 50,000 acres of farmland.
To learn more about the project visit the Truckee Canal webpage.
