The recent series of storms has prompted drought contingency plan measures to be rescinded by the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors. Precipitation is now at around 150-percent of normal in the district, reservoir storage is at 118-percent, and the snowpack is at 184-percent. The drought emergency has been in place since 2020. It included a 20-percent conservation mandate. But NID Water Operations Manager Chip Close says it was seldom punitive and they will continue to encourage voluntary water use reductions…

click to listen to Chip Close

Close says the robust water supply forecast is already in excess of the needs of current district customer demands. So this also has allowed the Board to declare a water surplus…

click to listen to Chip Close

That includes Grass Valley and Nevada City. The declaration allows the district to continue to provide these services and explore assisting other out-of-district municipalities with additional supplies via temporary transfer agreements. Close also mentions that raw water services can resume, that many canal users have been locked out of any new water connections during the fall and winter months.