Water flows are returning to normal in the Nevada Irrigation District canal system following repairs of the Sunday flume break on the PG&E South Yuba Canal near Bear Valley. However, it may be late this afternoon (July 3) before normal flows return to the Chicago Park and Rattlesnake canals and later today or overnight to areas of south Nevada County.

NID Water Operations Manager Chip Close said PG&E finished the repairs at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and that water was flowing into the NID system by 4 a.m. today (Wednesday).  “It takes time for the water to work its way through the system,” he said.“We want to thank our customers for their support and understanding,” Close said.The flume break occurred late Sunday afternoon.  PG&E responded quickly and began repairs but the work took a day longer than first anticipated.

PG&E and NID placed high priority on the repairs because the South Yuba Canal is the primary water supply to much of western Nevada County.

Updates on the incident, including time estimates on when water flows will resume in specific canals, are posted at www.nidwater.com.