Heat to produce swift, cold river stream flows in Douglas, southern Lyon and Mono counties
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Mon, 06/10/2019 - 3:50pm
Hot weather expected through Wednesday will trigger the return to rapid melting of high elevation snowpack, that will produce increased flows in the higher elevation tributary streams and swift, cold flows for rivers and streams in the lower valleys by midweek from Lake Tahoe south through Mono County, according to the National Weather Service.
Due to the considerable snowpack remaining in the Walker River basin, minor flooding is possible later this week on the West Walker River above Topaz Lake. Below Topaz Lake and Bridgeport Reservoir, high flows are expected as well, according to the National Weather Service in Reno.
The National Weather Service in Reno has issued a Small Stream Flood Advisory for snowmelt in Douglas County and southern Lyon County in Nevada and Mono County in California. The advisory extends through Saturday morning.
The Lyon County Road Department has opened self filling sandbag locations at the following locations:
Smith Valley: Dressler Park at the arena on Highway 208
Mason Valley: Lyon County Road Department Yard, 18 Highway 95A, Yerington
Mason Town Hall, Bridge Street in Mason.
County crews report that there is flooding in fields north of the weir on the Walker River. Lyon County is concerned that water will impact Miller Lane and Miller Lane may have to be shut down in the next 48 hours. Currently no homes are threatened, according to Lyon County Manager Jeff Page.
Reservoir operations will have an influence on the flows through the Mason Valley, but current projections indicate the possibility of minor flooding near the Walker River by late in the week. Peak flows on the West Walker River are expected from late Tuesday night through early Thursday morning while peak flows farther downstream are likely to
be from mid-week into next weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
To the north, there does not appear to be enough snowpack left to produce flooding along the unregulated portions of the Carson River system, or in the Truckee River system, but high flows are still likely for smaller streams in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
The elevated, swift, cold flows may affect hikers and campers in and near the Sierra. Peak flows overnight may catch those camping close to creeks and streams off guard, so campers are advised to avoid setting up camp too close to creeks and streams. Hikers should be alert for snow bridges over creeks in higher elevations.
- Alert
- Bridgeport
- California
- camp
- camping
- carson
- Carson River
- county
- Douglas
- Douglas County
- flood
- Flooding
- highway
- homes
- hot weather
- Hours
- Lake
- lyon county
- May
- Morning
- National Weather Service
- Nevada
- News
- saturday
- service
- Sierra
- Snow
- south
- tahoe
- Town Hall
- Truckee
- truckee river
- water
- weather
- weather service
- Wednesday
- Weekend
- Yerington
- Lake Tahoe
- reno
