Douglas County declares State of Emergency in preparation for spring, summer water runoff

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners have declared a State of Emergency in preparation for the potential of flooding associated with spring runoff and for stormy conditions such as this weekend.

The declaration has been submitted to the State of Nevada and will allow regional partners to expedite mitigation efforts as well as speed up the delivery of resources required to more effectively respond to an emergency.

East Fork Fire Protection District Chief and County Emergency Manager Tod Carlini, noted that, “Douglas County is in the mid phase of recovery from the January event and in the initial phase of recovery for the February event. Receiving two national declarations almost back to back is very unique.”

Douglas County and other agencies within the county have spent many hours and at significant cost already in dealing with both response and now recovery. The county has concentrated the majority of its efforts in debris removal, road side drainage restoration, road repairs, culvert and bridge repair and cleaning, and snow removal, all related to the two prior flood events.

“This is an unprecedented year in terms of the sever weather events that have occurred. The potential for additional events and events of longer duration due to spring run-off is real,” said East Fork Fire District Chief and Douglas County Emergency Manager, Tod Carlini. “Having a pre-disaster Declaration approved by the Board of County Commissioners on April 7, 2017, allows the county to request additional mitigation and protective measure resources.”

Douglas County is requesting that the State of Nevada:

· Assist with expediting any and all permitting required for mitigation work in or near the Carson River, including permits issued by the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection, State Lands, or the Army Corps of Engineers.
· Directly assist with river bank stabilization and debris removal on the Carson River. This is particularly true in areas where river bank failure or breaches have impacted Aspen Mobile Home Park in Gardnerville, and have forced the closure of US 395 in northern Douglas County during both 2017 flood events.
· Directly assist with river debris, sand, gravel bar, and sediment removal on the Carson River in areas where significant deposition occurred during the 2017 flood events.
· Directly encourage Nevada State Lands and the Army Corp of Engineers to engage in active measures within their jurisdiction of the Carson River and/or to work in concert with the Carson Valley Conservation District and agricultural interest along the river.
· Directly assist with vegetation removal impeding flows through the bypass underflow north of the 395 bridges in northern Douglas County.
· To assist specifically in identifying and providing bank stabilization and repair in areas which allow flood waters to escape the prescribed waterway resulting in the closure of US 395 in northern Douglas County.
· To assist in evaluating potential snow melt originating in the Hope Valley area of Alpine County California and feeding the West Fork of the Carson River.
· To assist with public awareness and information to help people prepare for and respond to flood events.
· To assist our local agricultural community in any way possible to facilitate their efforts to repair diversion structures and other such structures ahead of irrigation season.
· To assist and support both short and long term mitigation planning and projects.
· To coordinate all efforts with our Federal partners to the highest degree.

“The Nevada Division of Emergency Management is working very hard to assist all regional areas right now and is performing at the highest levels of service than I have ever seen in my long tenure in emergency services,” Carlini said.