Still considered a vital water delivery facility, although it was built over 90 years ago, the Nevada Irrigation District is taking the first step for major upgrades of Combie Dam. NID Assistant General Manager Greg Jones says the dam has an ongoing issue of high flows. And now the probable maximum flood design has increased from under 30-thousand to over 73-thousand cubic feet per-second over the decades…

Jones says three upgrade alternatives will be developed, through a study, to address various issues…

The NID Board of Directors has approved a 367-thousand dollar contract for the study, with results to be released next year. Combie Dam is an 85-foot-high and 762-foot-long facility on the Bear River, which primarily supplies canal water to Placer County customers.