The off-leash and multi-use pasture (i.e., “dog park”) at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park is closing due to a lack of irrigation water, which could harm the long-term health of the pasture, said Washoe County officials today in a news release.
The irrigation for the pasture comes from the Highland Ditch, fed from the Truckee River. The Federal Water Master informed the County that the Highland Ditch will soon be shut off because of low water flows in the Truckee River.
County staff consulted range and pasture management experts about the situation. It is not uncommon for pastures to go dormant during low water cycles and come back strong in the spring.
The stress of thousands of people and dogs on the dormant grass, along with urine that cannot be diluted by the flood irrigation, could cause long-term damage to the pasture, according to county officials.
Making the situation worse, they said, was the very dry winter. Use in the pasture was up exponentially during the very mild winter and early spring and there was no “off season” for the area to rest.
The pasture will be closed to all public use, including off-leash dogs, for the remainder of the summer and possibly into the fall and winter depending on the water situation.
“Washoe County understands this will be an inconvenience for the many people who use the pasture, but for the long-term viability of the resource, this is the best option,” said Kitty Jung, Washoe County Commissioner (District 3). “The pasture will be closed to all uses, with the exception of a Cyclocross event and the Great Reno Balloon Race. County staff (are) actively working with these two important community organizations to ensure that the events can still occur, while providing minimal impact to the area as possible.”
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SOURCE: Washoe County.
