According to the U.S. Forest Service, the weekend storms did not adversely impact the multi-million Upper Truckee River rerouting project.

“Flows in the Upper Truckee River (UTR) came up over the design capacity of the pumped diversion system, as well as the design capacity of the new channel on Sunday night,” Theresa Cody, a hydrologist with the U.S. Forest Service, told Lake Tahoe News. “Most of the UTR  flows followed the bypass channel we built into the newly constructed channel. Some over bank flows extended into the project’s temporary access road and existing channel backfill before re-entering the new channel. However, these overbank flows were shallow with low velocity.”

Cody there were no signs of “accelerated erosion,” but added crews will further assess the situation as the water level dissipates.

“We also will be downloading the data from our turbidity meters, and will be able to determine differences in turbidity measurements collected above and below the project, throughout the event. Data will be reported to Lahontan, per our permit requirements,” Cody said.

The goals is to complete the existing channel backfill and the last channel connection by the end of the month.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report