Canals Start-up & Flood Water
We have finished with the planned interior canal work on both Douglas Creek & North Helmville canals. 2 miles of Douglas canal and 1 mile of North canal have been cleaned. We still have finish work to complete with the resulting tailings along the canal bank in those areas, but this will not effect water delivery. Other interior canal spraying, patches and installations have also been completed in preparation for start up. Today, May 1, I will begin applying sealer to planned sections of Douglas canal. I should begin charging that canal with water on Tuesday, so irrigation water should be available by later Wednesday. North canal will follow and water should be available there by the end of the week.
The reservoir is spilling and total creek flows have recently been averaging around 90 cfs, so we will be initially on “flood” water for deliveries on the canals, and this will be billed at the flood water O&M rate. Anyone who wants to have their initial deliveries be designated as normal contract water needs to let me know, elsewise it is assumed that you are choosing to be billed for flood water. It is unknown how long this higher water condition will exist, but upper snowpack is still well above normal at this time, so we should see some sustained flows. I will provide notification at the time when we go to normal contract delivery.
Creek Deliveries & Decreed Water
Most irrigation rights become active on or before May 1. Please let me know about your planned use of decreed water as I will now begin updating the Current Status of Irrigation Rights for the upper Nevada creek drainage. Please refer to that listing for reference on current water supply and current status of your particular rights.
Thank you.