U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey River and Reservoir Operations Model, Truckee River Basin, California and Nevada, 1998 Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4017 Prepared in cooperation with the TRUCKEE–CARSON PROGRAM RIVER AND OPERATIONS MODEL, TRUCKEE RIVER BASIN, CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA, 1998 River and Reservoir Operations Model, Truckee River Basin, California and Nevada, 1998 By Steven N. Berris, Glen W. Hess, and Larry R. Bohman U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4017 Prepared in cooperation with the TRUCKEE–CARSON PROGRAM Carson City, Nevada 2001 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR GALE A. NORTON, Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES G. GROAT, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government For additional information contact: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey 333 West Nye Lane, Room 203 Carson City, NV 89706–0866 email: [email protected] http://nevada.usgs.gov CONTENTS Abstract.................................................................................................................................................................................. 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................ 2 Purpose and Scope ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Previous Investigations .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Acknowledgments...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Description of Study Area ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 Lake Tahoe and Upper Truckee River Subunit.......................................................................................................... 8 Middle Truckee River Subunit................................................................................................................................... 10 Lower Truckee River and Pyramid Lake Subunit...................................................................................................... 12 Chronology and Background of Decrees, Agreements, and Laws Affecting Operations ..................................................... 14 Early History .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Truckee River General Electric Decree ..................................................................................................................... 14 Truckee River Agreement .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Construction of Additional Storage Reservoirs in the 1930’s ................................................................................... 15 Donner Lake Agreement ............................................................................................................................................ 15 Orr Ditch Decree........................................................................................................................................................ 16 Sierra Valley Decree .................................................................................................................................................. 16 Construction of Prosser Creek and Stampede Dams.................................................................................................. 16 Tahoe–Prosser Exchange Agreement ........................................................................................................................ 16 Endangered Species Act............................................................................................................................................. 16 Stampede Reservoir Judgement ................................................................................................................................. 17 Newlands Project Operating Criteria and Procedures................................................................................................ 17 Preliminary Settlement Agreement ............................................................................................................................ 17 Public Law 101-618 ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Interim Storage Agreement ........................................................................................................................................ 18 Truckee River Water Quality Settlement Agreement ................................................................................................ 18 Construction of Truckee River Basin Operations Model ...................................................................................................... 19 Description of Hydrological Simulation Program–FORTRAN................................................................................. 20 Flow-Routing Model.................................................................................................................................................. 22 Data for Simulation of Streamflow and Operations................................................................................................... 23 Streamflow...................................................................................................................................................... 24 Evapotranspiration.......................................................................................................................................... 26 Climate............................................................................................................................................................ 26 Municipal and Industrial Demands................................................................................................................. 27 Lake Level and Streamflow Forecasts............................................................................................................ 27 Description and Simulation of Truckee River Basin Operations .......................................................................................... 27 Description and Simulation of Current Operations ................................................................................................... 32 Current Water Categories ............................................................................................................................... 32 Current Reservoir Operations......................................................................................................................... 32 Flood-Control Criteria......................................................................................................................... 32 Lake Tahoe .............................................................................................................................. 33 Donner Lake ............................................................................................................................ 34 Martis Creek Lake .................................................................................................................. 34 Prosser Creek Reservoir .......................................................................................................... 35 Independence Lake.................................................................................................................. 35 Stampede and Boca Reservoirs ............................................................................................... 36 Lahontan Reservoir.................................................................................................................. 36 Reservoir Storage Priorities and Pass-Throughs ................................................................................. 37 Storage Priorities ..................................................................................................................... 37 Reservoir Pass-Throughs and Releases to Meet Newlands Project Demands......................... 39 Reservoir Demands ............................................................................................................................. 41 CONTENTS III Floriston Rates......................................................................................................................... 41 Minimum Instream Flows ....................................................................................................... 44 Pyramid Lake Fish................................................................................................................... 45 Privately Owned Stored Water................................................................................................ 48 Current Operational Exchanges .........................................................................................................