Highway 395 near Topaz Lodge reopened
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 05/21/2018 - 8:08pm
UPDATE 3:51PM: Progress was made cleaning up the massive debris flows caused by a mudslide Monday across Highway 395. With help from the Nevada Department of Transportation Highway 395 is now open. The Douglas County Road Department, Town of Minden and the Town of Gardnerville made progress on Topaz Park Road and it remains open.
Topaz Lodge did not suffer any impacts to business and is up and running, including the restaurant. Topaz Lodge is preparing for the Memorial Day Weekend and is encouraging visitors to visit the lodge.
The National Weather Service is predicting the Topaz Lake area and potentially areas of Douglas County could be affected by flash flooding around 4 or 5 p.m. Tuesday evening. Additionally, there is an increase in chance of flash flooding on Thursday and Friday. Douglas County Emergency Management, East Fork Fire and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office are currently developing a contingency plan in preparation for any additional weather events.
Douglas County is encouraging residents to pay attention to weather alerts, deploy sandbags where appropriate and listen to local media reports.
Sandbag locations and sandbag viewer
https://nv-douglascounty2.civicplus.com/AlertCenter.aspx?AID=Sand-Bag-Lo...
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UPDATE TUESDAY: US Highway 395 from State Route 208 to the Nevada/California state line near Topaz Lake remains closed this morning due to removal of massive debris flows across US 395 in several locations in and around the Topaz Lodge and on Topaz Park Road.
The Topaz Lodge was occupied with about 200 people who sheltered in place during the event. West 395 and Topaz Park Road were completely impassable. Approximately 20 occupied motor vehicles were impacted on the roadways, with no reported injuries.
The Topaz Lodge was accessed and people were escorted Monday night and Tuesday morning north on US 395 by Nevada Department of Transportation and Nevada Highway Patrol. Today emergency personnel are doing further assessment to homes and county infrastructure below the lodge and along Topaz Park Road.
The recent Slinkered Fire in the area was the contributing factor to the debris flow, just as the Bison Fire lead to a massive flash flood debris flow in the Fish Springs area several years ago.
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Mudslides have closed Highway 395 Monday night near Topaz Lodge in Douglas County south of Carson City, according to the Nevada Highway Patrol and the Douglas County Sheriff's Office.
Multiple mudslides are covering the entire roadway near Topaz Lodge as of 7 p.m., according to NHP. Northbound traffic has been stopped on the California side.
Southbound traffic is being diverted onto State Route 208 through Wellington, according to Nevada Highway Patrol via Twitter. See the DCSO Twitter page here.
NDOT has begun to move some of the mud and has cleared a path on the access road next to highway. The vehicles that are stuck at Topaz Lodge are getting through northbound as of 8 p.m., according to DCSO.
At this time there is not a time estimation as to when the road will fully reopen.
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