FALLON—A major water project is taking shape in the Lahontan Valley. Earlier this month, U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen announced that the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District will receive more than $2 million from the U.S. Department of the Interior for water delivery efficiency and infrastructure upgrades. The amount is part of the Bipartition Infrastructure Law.
Both senators announced the funding to help upgrade six gates on the Lahontan Dam. The upgrade on the dam’s input tower gates will save more than 782 million gallons of water annually and help northern Nevada combat drought conditions.
The tower has 12 gates near the ground, but Ben Shawcroft, general manager of TCID, said six leaky gates on the south side of the dam will be replaced. The gates open and close on the tower, sending water underneath the dam to feed two power plants.
Shawcroft said the electricity is then released for delivery. Hydroelectricity provides power to Churchill County and the surrounding area, making the valley the “Oasis of Nevada.”
Lahontan Dam was completed in 1915, and the structure transformed the Lahontan Valley into a vibrant agricultural region.
“Protecting access to clean, reliable water sources is critical for the health, economy, and security of the Silver State,” Cortez Masto said.
Rosen added that investing in Nevada’s water infrastructure and resilience is vital.
