General

The Newlands Project was one of the first Reclamation projects. It provides irrigation water from the Truckee and Carson Rivers for about 57,000 acres of cropland in the Lahontan Valley near Fallon and bench lands near Fernley in western Nevada. In addition, water from about 6,000 acres of project land has been transferred to the Lahontan Valley Wetlands near Fallon.

Lake Tahoe Dam, a small dam at the outlet of Lake Tahoe, the source of the Truckee River, controls releases into the river. Downstream, the Derby Diversion Dam diverts the water into the Truckee Canal and carries it to the Carson River.

Other features include Lahontan Dam and Reservoir, Carson River Diversion Dam, and Old Lahontan Power Plant. The Truckee-Carson project (renamed the Newlands Project) was authorized by the Secretary of the Interior March 14, 1903.

Principal features include:

• Lake Tahoe Dam
• Lahontan Dam, Reservoir, and Power Plant
• Truckee Canal
• Carson River Diversion Dam
• Derby Diversion Dam, and
• "T" and "V" Canals and Power Plant

Overall, the project has 68.5 miles of main canals with a combined diversion capacity of 2,000 cfs. In addition to the primary canals, more than 300 miles of laterals and almost 350 miles of drains have been constructed since work on the first laterals began in 1904.

History

The early settlers of the project area irrigated by simple, diversions, relying on natural flow for their water supply. The 1860s was a period of rapid growth and settlement along the Truckee River.

In the early 1860s, the first irrigation ditches began to appear. Numerous dams were constructed on the Truckee River to divert water for irrigation or to power mills.

Throughout the later part of the 1800s, growth along the Truckee River continued at a rapid pace. More dams were constructed, increasing diversions from the river and further limiting migration of fish. Industrial and municipal wastes flowed untreated into the river. Before the authorization of the project in 1903, there were 20,000 acres of land under cultivation that had natural-flow water rights.

By the time the Reclamation Service authorized construction of the Truckee-Carson Project in 1903, the waters of the Truckee River were virtually all appropriated. During the first irrigation season in 1905, 108 farms were settled by 674 people. Their experiences during that first season would be repeated for many years to come. There was a lack of water for project lands during the late months of the irrigation season. Although there were markets for produce and hay, it took several years before a farm could produce an adequate crop.

When Reclamation opened project lands for settlement in 1904, 800 parcels were made available. By the beginning of 1908, only 300 parcels were occupied. In 1910, due to lack of water, project lands were closed to new settlement pending construction of storage facilities on the Carson or Truckee Rivers. Following completion of Lahontan Dam in late 1914, the project was reopened to settlement. Settlement gradually increased throughout the first part of the century.

Construction

Construction began in 1903, the same year the project was authorized. The first construction specification Reclamation issued was for the Truckee River Diversion Dam, now known as the Derby Diversion Dam, which was completed in June 1905. By September 1905, the Carson River Diversion Dam and main distributing canals for the Carson Division had been completed. The Truckee Canal and a timber chute to the Carson River (the chute was later replaced by one of concrete, which discharges into Lahontan Reservoir) were completed in November 1906. This permitted the diversion of Truckee River water for use in the Carson Division for the first time in 1907. Construction of Lake Tahoe Dam was completed in 1913.

Plan

No text for this section

Overview

No text for this section

Other

No text for this section