Update on TCID Flood Issues

By Law Clerk Nicole Widdis

The Truckee-Carson Canal breached in early 2008, however the litigation continues. See Water Law Blog entries from April 24 and 30, 2008 for background on the matter.

The latest attempt by the homeowners in this case to limit the amount of water going down the canal was heard in Nevada Federal District Court for three days beginning May 11, 2009. The homeowners renewed their 2008 motions for a preliminary injunction to stop water going down the canal. However this year, the homeowners put a new spin on their request. They asked the court to make a ruling that if there was a mere forecast of a storm event, that the water in the canal would have to be dropped from 350 CFS flow to 100 CFS flow.

On May 12, 2009, the federal judge in Nevada denied the preliminary injunction, without prejudice. This means that though the court has denied the request at this time, the parties are free to renew their request for injunction at a later date. The flow in the canal will remain at the 350 CFS flow which is the maximum flow allowed in the canal under the 2008 court order. The court also ordered post-trial briefing on some of the issues discussed at the hearing. In other words, this case will continue to be litigated. Stay tuned.

The Nevada Federal District Court case numbers for these matters are: 03:08-cv-00246-LDG-RAM, 3:08-cv-00621-LDG-RAM; and, 3:08-cv-00285-LDG-RAM.