floods

National Animal Care and Control Appreciation Week is April 7 through 13, 2019, a time to recognize the many contributions of Animal Services officers, shelter and office staff, and volunteers in El Dorado County.

“Working and volunteering in the animal services field requires a strong passion for helping animals and serving others,” said Henry Brzezinski, Chief of El Dorado County Animal Services. “The work can sometimes be difficult, but we love what we do. We are very grateful for our dedicated staff and volunteers!”

On April 18, 2017 the South Lake Tahoe City Council unanimously passed a resolution to do two things: Power the South Lake Tahoe community with electricity provided from 100 percent renewable sources by 2032; and reduce community carbon emissions from baseline by at least 80 percent by 2040. The 100% Renewable Committee was formed to help the City accomplish these tasks.

The rain in the Sierra Thursday and Friday melted snow, sending the water down into rivers and the lake faster than normal. While the Upper Truckee River in South Lake Tahoe is over the banks and flooding the meadow, Lake Tahoe got closer to full.

The Upper Truckee is moving at 1960 cubic feet per minute, much faster than the 112 feet per minute just a week ago. It is also just over 11 feet in height, a few inches above the flood stage per NOAA-NWS.

Lake Tahoe measured at 6228.7 ft above sea level on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. The legal limit is 6229.1, the natural rim is 6223 ft.

Mountaintop cameras from the University of Nevada, Reno spotted or tracked 240 fires in Nevada and California in 2017. This helped to keep firefighters more situationally aware and able to mount appropriate responses more rapidly over tens of thousands of square miles of forests and rangelands, including rural communities.

This is a new and expanding tool for fire managers who oversee the wildland and wildland/urban interface.

For nearly 30 years, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office could rely on volunteer Richard Swartzendruber to deliver equipment necessary to support our Search and Rescue teams. From floods and fires to avalanches, water rescues, injured hikers, and stranded motorists, Richard would overcome conditions that were often extreme to haul boats, command centers or other equipment needed to help the mission succeed.

Richard, described by his family as an “adored husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather,” passed away on December 11, 2017.

The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners authorized the County to enter into an Interlocal Agreement with the Carson Water Subconservency District

The Douglas County road crews cannot work anymore hours over the three-day weekend due to their having reached the maximum number of driving hours allowed due to flooding and snow conditions in the Carson Valley over the last week.

Hours are regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The Douglas County staff can resume regular duty on Tuesday January 17, 2017 at 7:00 a.m. If an emergency arises, staff may be called in after 5:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Many roads in Nevada were under water Sunday after torrential rains went through, causing rivers and streams to flood. In Reno alone 50 roads were closed due to high water levels, and all bridges over the Truckee River in Reno were also closed.

The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) spent the day evaluating the state's roads affected by floods and rain. Multiple state roads in the greater Truckee Meadows and Carson Valley areas remain closed, including those in the Sparks industrial area and areas of Reno, including East McCarran Boulevard and South Virginia Street.

If the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast is correct, South Lake Tahoe could see the largest rain/snow weather event since the memorable floods of 1997 and 2005.

Those traveling to South Lake Tahoe, and those that live here, are being warned to be prepared for the storm which is slated to reach the Sierra overnight Saturday and last until Monday.

On Dec. 11, 2014, a freight train of a storm steamed through much of California, deluging the San Francisco Bay Area with three inches of rain in just one hour. The storm was fueled by what meteorologists refer to as the “Pineapple Express” — an atmospheric river of moisture that is whipped up over the Pacific’s tropical waters and swept north with the jet stream.

With the rainy weather that hit South Lake Tahoe recently, many residents were finding themselves with small flooding issues around their homes and garages.

Sand bags are available, free of charge and year-round, from the City of South Lake Tahoe at the City’s Streets and Snow Removal Yard located at 1160 Rufus Allen Blvd. Their operating hours are Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Douglas County Douglas County is hosting a Flood Outreach on August 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the CVIC Hall, Minden, NV. The event will give the public the opportunity to collect information, provide public input, and view flood damage maps.

“After our staff presentation on the flooding, we wanted to give citizens a place to gather and receive information from as many resources as possible.” said Douglas County Commission Chair, Doug Johnson.

Resources present at the event will include:

• Engineering/Stormwater Management

Those of us living in the Sierra Nevada are well aware of the drought and of the growing threat of wildfires caused by dry conditions. Due to the threat of catastrophic wildfires in the West, three major players at the government level have called for reforms in the way the federal government funds wildfire suppression efforts.

Last summer's flash floods in Douglas County caused $927,205 in damage, far below the federal minimum of $3,753,710 needed in order to receive federal assistance.

While Douglas County Emergency Management had requested that due to the close timing of these events (July 20, July 30, Aug. 6 and Aug. 11) the state consider combining all damage under one event, FEMA regulations do not allow for combining damage costs of multiple events.

Lake Tahoe is now home to the Tallac Hotshots, a select force of 20 wildland firefighters from the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU).

The group completed a demanding and extensive certification process on June 19, making them the first Interagency Hotshot Crew from Lake Tahoe.

Formerly the Tallac Hand Crew, the Tallac Hotshots join an exclusive group of roughly 2,000 firefighters across the country.

The League to Save Lake Tahoe is looking for cyclists to join their Climate Ride California team to cycle through wine country May 17-20, 2014. Riders will help raise awareness of climate change, alternative modes of transportation and the effort to Keep Tahoe Blue.

League staff member Seth Chanin will be captaining Team Keep Tahoe Blue.

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The Climate Crisis looms as the most serious threat to human civilization. Recent data indicate more rapid warming and accelerating greenhouse gas emissions than previously projected. As the political process addresses the issues, misinformation floods the public space, creating confusion and delay. What must be done to reduce emissions and begin to pull greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere in order to avoid dangerous climate change and to return the Earth to a safe-climate future? How can the public and decision-makers cut through the spin and denial in order to do what is necessary?