TCID Update: Water Conditions, Assessments, and Financial Outlook

Operations and maintenance updates, early water outlook projections, and a lengthy budget discussion dominated the Feb. 3 meeting of the Truckee Carson Irrigation District Board of Directors.

Construction and Maintenance Manager Cody Biggs opened staff reports with an update on district operations. Biggs said crews were focused primarily on work at the AC7 structure, where footings had been poured, and wall construction was underway. The project is expected to continue for several months. Additional crews have been trimming trees and completing silt removal from the L-1 canal. Biggs said work was expected to continue through the winter, with final stages likely coinciding with the start of irrigation season.

District Water Master Kelly Herwick followed with a review of water conditions for late January and the outlook report. Herwick said the Truckee River flows at Vista were at 612 cubic feet per second, with the Truckee Canal at the head measuring approximately 463 cfs, noting a discrepancy between monitoring systems. The canal was reported at 480 cfs at Wadsworth and 454 cfs at Hazen. Carson River inflows at the Fort Churchill gauge were reported at 312 cfs entering Lahontan, with Lahontan Reservoir storage at 154,827 acre-feet and minor leakage observed below the dam. Kelly said the most recent numbers from the Natural Resources and Conservation Service had not been released, and the March board meeting will entail more detailed water projections for the season. 

Based on January forecasting values, Herwick said early projections for the Carson River Basin ranged from approximately 68% allocation under a 70% exceedance scenario to as high as 91% under a wetter outlook. Herwick said soil saturation was currently high and upstream Truckee reservoirs were near full, increasing the potential for runoff and spill. He said early indications suggested diversions from the Truckee to Lahontan could continue through September.

During community updates, Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe (FPST) representative Anthony Berreman said the tribe was working to ensure that water-right documentation was submitted and signed on time for the upcoming season, and that maintenance activities, including ditch cleaning and tree trimming, were ongoing.

Board member Davy Stix questioned how the longstanding memorandum of agreement between TCID and the FPST applies in years when allocations fall, including the threshold at which tribal water users receive 100% allocation, and how the agreement applies to different land classifications. Herwick confirmed the agreement provides for 100% allocation unless the overall allocation drops below 56%. Wyatt Golding, also representing FPST, said he would follow up to ensure questions involving reservation boundaries, trust lands, and individual water rights were answered accurately, noting the topic can be contentious and that he wanted to be careful. Bureau of Reclamation, Lahontan Basin Area Office representative Rob Martinez, later requested to be included in follow-up correspondence clarifying which water rights are covered under the agreement.

The meeting then shifted to financial matters, beginning with a discussion regarding an adjustment to the district's general assessment. The annual assessment is levied on all lands in the district and is tied to the consumer price index, assessed as part of the county’s property tax. The board approved increasing the rate from $7.13 to $7.45 per acre, with staff noting the increase was expected to generate approximately $47,000 and that 30% of the assessment is limited to administrative use.

More detailed budget discussions followed, led by General Manager Ben Shawcroft and Finance Manager and Human Resources Helen-Marie Fowkes. Shawcroft outlined what he described as both positive developments and ongoing challenges, including improved hydroelectric contracts, relatively stable operating expenses in some categories, and reduced litigation costs, alongside increasing pressure on unrestricted operating funds. 

Shawcroft said the district faces serious cash flow issues driven by rising costs, fund restrictions, and other financial obligations. He also noted last year’s legal fees were $500,000, which will no longer present the same strain on the budget in the coming year, effectively reducing expenses. Board members questioned how to balance revenue increases with cost containment, expressing concern about the impact of higher assessments on water users. Shawcroft explained that the district is planning extensive examinations on how to both cut costs and increase revenue. 

After an extended discussion regarding increasing operations and maintenance (O&M) user assessments, which were not amended in 2025, the board approved a 7% increase or $4 per acre for 2026, from $53 to $57. The motion passed 5-1, with board member Lester deBraga dissenting after expressing concern about the financial impact on ranchers and farmers. 

The board also approved Carson Lake Pasture items, including keeping the Animal Unit Monthly rate at $5.20 and approving the Cowboy Contract with Holt Bogdanowicz.