The Nevada Irrigation District (NID) is planning to complete the first Plan For Water (PFW) process/plan with a PFW Report. I applaud NID for this planning action and look forward to reviewing it.
A good description of the PFW was given by NID in its adopted 2020 Agricultural Water Management Plan (2020 AWMP) in Section 5.3 Identify Water Management Objectives given here for shared context: “NID is taking this opportunity in water management shifts to locally develop the vision and water resource needs for its community. Plan for Water is NID’s ongoing effort to develop this community-focused vision and subsequent strategies for implementation. Plan for Water will identify the community’s need for water resources within the context of community visioning. Alternative strategies and projects will be developed and compared to support an ongoing strategy and implementation plan for policy decisions, management enhancements, operational modifications, infrastructure requirements, and others as identified. The Plan will identify triggering points and reanalysis updates in order to maintain current and responsive to future scenarios.”
NID’s General Manager hinted recently in a State conducted status conference on Bear River water rights related to the proposed NID Centennial Water Supply Project (CWSP) that the PFW process outcomes point towards shifting from the CWSP that includes a new dam on the Bear River for alternatives better matching the community’s vision and projected needs such as the raising of the Rollins Reservoir dam between Grass Valley and Colfax higher up on the Bear River.
Exactly what will be adopted by the NID Board of Directors and when regarding the PFW outcomes to affect community’s foreseeable project implementation and completing the upcoming Raw Water Master Plan Update, AWMP Update 2025, and other related planning activities is up next.
Cheers with water,
Michael Ross
Michael Ross lives in Western Placer County outside Lincoln.