The Truckee River watershed is identified as impaired in the following analyses and reports:

-          The Lahotan Rgional Water Quality Control Board has identified the Truckee watershed as a highest priority watershed (Lahontan Region Watershed Management Initiative Chapter, January 2002);

-          The Truckee River and four tributaries (Bronco Creek, Bear Creek, Gray Creek , and Squaw Creek) are listed as impaired for sediment under Section 303(d) of the federal Clean Water Act (www.swrcb.ca.gov/rwqcb6/TMDL/TMDL_Index.htm);

-          Desert Research Institute has produced the Water Quality Assessment and Modeling of California Portion of the Truckee River Basin (July 2001) which recommends reductions in sediment loads for designated reaches and sub-basins in the Truckee watershed;

-          The Tahoe National Forest has produced the Middle Truckee River Watershed Hydrologic Condition Assessment (September, 2001) which identifies sources of sediment and erosion;

-          The TRWC has produced the Truckee River Watershed Baseline Assessment (March 2002) which prioritizes areas in the watershed requiring further study.

The partnership members are  the Truckee River Watershed Council, Truckee Donner Land Trust, USFS Tahoe National Forest, and Desert Research Institute.

Financial contributors included the California Resources Agency, California State Water Resources Control Board,  Truckee River Aquatic Monitors and all the partnership members.

From January 2005 through approximately January 2007, this project will

1.       Acquire sensitive land in the Gray Creek sub-basin - COMPLETED JUNE 2005.The acquisition is for approximately 945 acres, from willing sellers in Gray Creek sub-basin. Gray Creek in the steepest sub-basin of the Truckee basin. The acquisition will protect the lands from potential erosion inducing activities such as logging and residential development.

2.       Implement restoration projects in Gray Creek and Davies Merrill sub-basins to reduce active erosion and the potential for future erosion. In Gray Creek, the outcomes of the restoration project will include: a) restoring the natural drainage patterns to prevent erosive flow concentration, b) increasing water-holding capacity of the soil, including improving infiltration and c) reducing available sediment supply by increasing duff layer and revegetation.

In the Davies-Merrill sub-basin, outcomes of the restoration include a) stabilizing sediment sources, b) restoring original stream courses, c) re-watering meadows where down-cutting has trapped the stream and de-watered the meadow, and d) restoring floodplain access where stream entrenchment, diversions, and constrictions have caused loss of floodplain access.

3.       Demonstrate measurable post-project success of the restoration projects through project monitoring. Benefits are to improve quality of surface runoff, improve surface infiltration, restore floodplain function, increase flood attenuation potential, increase seasonal ground water storage, improve existing riparian habitat, and increase total amount of riparian habitat

4.       Increase community capacity to manage our watershed.This collaborative planning, funding and implementation effort of the Truckee River Watershed Council and four cooperators will facilitate the development of working partnerships and set precedence for such work in our watershed.

Volunteer (community members) participation in the restoration projects and in the water quality monitoring increases the volunteers’ understanding of sediment pollution and develop a stronger commitment to their role in the solution.