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TRUCKEE-CARSON IRRIGATION DISTRICT
PROCEDURES
FOR ORDERING AND DELIVERY OF WATER
ORDERS
Orders
can be placed between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except holidays, by calling 423-6511 in Fallon; 575-2211 in
Fernley, on line at www.tcid.org,
or in person at the District’s office at 2666 Harrigan Road.
No orders will be taken by anyone in the field or at anyone’s
home. The water user should be
prepared to take delivery of water any time after placing the order. At
the time of the order, the water user should estimate as close as possible
the flow in cfs (cubic feet per second) and the number of hours the water
will be needed.
Orders
that are placed after 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday will not be
processed until the following day. Friday
orders are processed at 4 p.m. Water is delivered efficiently and is
not delivered in accordance with the time the order is placed.
Orders for specific time or day will not be accepted.
Please
give the following information to the dispatcher:
1.
TCID serial number of property;
2.
Property owner’s name;
3.
Name of irrigator, if applicable;
4.
Local telephone number where the water user can be contacted
by the Ditchriders;
5.
Lateral and take-out number (example: V5-T1 “V5 is
lateral”, “T1 is take-out”).
These numbers are on District head gate(s).
6.
Amount of CFS and amount of time (hours, minutes)
If
the water user wants delivery from more than one canal or lateral,
separate water orders will be required.
No
water order will be taken for land that is delinquent in the payment of
assessments or charges due the District.
DELIVERY
The Ditchriders
will pick up the water orders at 3:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and
will call the water user between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. the evening of the day
the water was ordered. If the
water user is not available during this time, it will be the water user's
responsibility to call the Ditchriders or have a message recorder on his
phone. The Ditchriders will
schedule your water and advise the water user as to the approximate time
the water will be delivered. For
scheduling and proper management of the water, the Ditchriders may
limit water orders to 120%
of the “estimated” hours. It
should be understood that it is not
possible to deliver the exact cfs that is ordered. The cfs delivery
will be as close as practicable, and the water user will be informed as to
the exact cfs. The
end-of-month Water Usage Summary card will reflect the actual water
delivered and not what was ordered.
All
water deliveries in each district within the Project are scheduled,
coordinated, monitored, and directed by the Ditchriders.
The Ditchrider will deliver water in accordance with District
policy as directed by the Water Master.
The accountability for all deliveries of water, whether water
changes are made by a Ditchrider, or by someone authorized by the
Ditchrider, is the responsibility of the Ditchrider.
The Ditchrider must account for all time and flow elements involved
in making efficient water transactions within his area of responsibility.
If
a water user experiences a problem during deliveries, he/she should
immediately take the following steps:
1.
First, contact your Ditchrider.
2.
If the problem has not been resolved by the Ditchrider, the
water user should contact the Water Master.
3.
If the problem cannot be resolved with the previous steps,
the water user should then file a written
complaint with the District’s Office.
4.
If the problem cannot be resolved by District management,
then the Board of Directors may appoint a special mediator, if necessary,
or take other action, as the Board may deem appropriate.
The cost of the special mediator, or other Board action, can be
charged to the water user. If
the charges for such special actions are not paid within 30 days of
billing, water orders will not be accepted.
Ditchriders
are on duty for a certain number of days, followed by a period of days
off. During those scheduled
days off another Ditchrider will be available.
The
water user is not to OPEN, CLOSE, or CHANGE any District gates or
facilities without the Ditchrider’s consent (transfer authority).
If such consent is given by the Ditchrider and agreed to by the
water user, then the acting party must follow the Ditchrider’s
directions completely. Upon
accepting the authority to make changes to the District facilities, the
water user is then also accepting responsibility for any damages that
might occur that are caused by negligence.
In addition to the instructions from the Ditchrider to record the
time and other factors of the water delivery, the Ditchrider may ask the
water user to notify the next water user in line to receive water.
This method of passing water allows a head of water to be used
efficiently. If the water is
not passed to another water user, the water user must notify the
Ditchrider IN ADVANCE of the completion of the water delivery with enough
lead time for the Ditchrider to take action.
If the water user fails to so notify the Ditchrider, the Ditchrider
will estimate the delivery in hours and no adjustments will be made.
Once this transaction is completed, the temporary transfer of
authority to the water user ceases. In
an emergency, the water user should take appropriate corrective action and
notify the Ditchriders as soon as possible.
Due
to changes in water use, water demand, and potential canal system capacity
problems, the Board of Directors has set the following limitations on the
delivery of water to the water user:
1.
It is not the responsibility of the Ditchrider to find the
water user. It is therefore
important that water users supply phone numbers where they can be reached
between the hours of 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
If the water user will not be available during that time, a phone
recorder should be available for the Ditchriders to leave a voice message.
2.
THE WATER USER MUST
TAKE DELIVERY OF WATER AT ANY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, after having ordered
the water. The Ditchriders
will advise the water user in advance when the water will be available.
If service is refused, the water order may be placed at the end of
the current orders. If the
water user refuses after reasonable efforts by the Ditchriders, then the
order will be cancelled and a
new order will not be taken for seven days.
3.
All water delivered will be measured by the Ditchriders as
accurately as possible. Each month a report will be sent to the water user
indicating the amount of water used to date and the balance remaining. It
is the responsibility of the water user to bring discrepancies in the
report to the attention of the Water Master before the 25th day of the
month following the reporting period.
It is suggested that the water user keep an accurate account of the
amount of water delivered by recording the time the water is turned on and
off and the date of delivery. The
District has the responsibility to properly measure each delivery of
water. If the water user
doesn't accept the Ditchrider’s measurement, then the water user should
contact the Water Department and request a metered measurement.
If a metered measurement is requested, the water user and
Ditchrider will be notified of the time and place that the water will be
measured so that the water user and Ditchrider, if possible, can be
present at the measurement. If
the water user wants to measure the water to verify the District’s
measurement, the measurement should be done at the same time and place as
the District’s metered measurement.
If a metered measurement is done by the water user at another time
and place, such metered measurement should be done in accordance with the
“Bureau of Reclamation Water Measurement Manual” and the
info
rmation presented to the TCID water department on a form provided by the
District for such metered measurement.
4.
No water user will be allowed to divert more than
twenty-five percent (25%) of his annual water allocation during any one
month period, if, in the opinion of the Water Master, the diversion could
cause potential damages to other water users.
5.
Second runs of water shall not be made to the water user’s
same District headgate within a seven (7) day period, except to protect
(1) new seeding during the first 60 days; and (2) highly sensitive crops.
The scheduling of water delivery by the District will allow for
consideration of the needs of the water users.
For instance, new seeding (alfalfa and pasture during the first 60
days and corn during the first 90 days) may have a preference over
established crops.
6.
No water user will be allowed more than one head of water on
the same ditch when the Ditchrider has other water users demanding water.
A head of water in excess of 30 cfs shall be considered as two
heads of water and may be reduced by the Ditchrider when necessary to meet
other demands.
7.
Deliveries of water to any one takeout may be limited to 30
cfs or less, if, in the opinion of the Water Master or Ditchrider, it is
felt that the safe-rated capacity of the District’s facilities is being
exceeded.
8.
On laterals that service a number of small acreages, the
delivery will be completed in one run if, at the discretion of the Water
Master, it can be done. Water
will be put in the lateral and all small users will use the water in
rotation mutually agreed upon by the parties involved.
If no agreement can be reached then, by request, the Water Master
shall establish the rotation and users shall be bound by the decision.
Once a delivery day is established, it will be changed only at the
discretion of the District. If
it is impossible to measure the water to each individual water user then
the total water delivered to the lateral shall be measured and prorated to
each water user according to the acreage irrigated.
9.
Water will not be delivered in excess of allocation.
10.
Unauthorized use of water (irrigating without having placed
a water order and/or without having been told to proceed by the
Ditchriders) will result in the water user’s takeout being padlocked and
a financial penalty imposed in accordance with Board policy.
Service will not be restored until such time as the water user
appears before the appropriate Board of Directors committee.
11.
Water must be used to the best advantage.
Any water user wasting water, such as running on and off the field
simultaneously, will be warned by letter.
For any offense following such notice, the water will be shut off
and service will only be resumed when the water user appears before the
Project Manager or Water Master and satisfactorily explains the reasons
therefore. The water user will
also then be required to appear before the Board of Directors at the next
regular Board meeting.
12.
Water delivery to a water user’s ditch and/or takeout may
be refused if it is in such condition that water delivery would cause or
result in an adverse impact upon the District’s operations or water
delivery system. Before action
is taken, the Board Director representing that area, the Water Master, and
the Ditchrider shall jointly inspect the ditch to decide whether water
delivery shall be discontinued and determine what actions, if any, would
be necessary to remedy the situation.
In the case of more than one water user using the same ditch, water
will be refused to all of the water users until the ditch and/or takeouts
are cleaned and/or repaired. When
work is completed to the satisfaction of the Project Manager or Water
Master, deliveries will be resumed.
13.
Water users and the District are regulated by court approved
Operating Criteria and Procedures (OCAP) which limit the use of water to
irrigated water right acres. Non-compliance
will result in penalties as established in the OCAP.
Any changes in irrigated acreage should be reported to the
District’s engineering department along with appropriate documentation
to show what acreage changes are going to be made.
14.
Relations between Ditchriders and water users should be that
of mutual respect and assistance. Abuse
or abusive language on the part of any Ditchrider or any water user to
each other will not be tolerated. Necessary
steps to stop any abuse will be taken by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation
District Board and management.
15.
Ditchriders are not employees of the Board members or of the
water users, but of the District as a whole.
Instructions as to management of water shall come from management
in conformance with policy established by the Board of Directors.
WATER
RIGHT TRANSFERS
Any
temporary transfer or permanent water right transfer must be filed and
approved by the Nevada State Engineer 60 days prior to the end of a normal
irrigation season (75% or above) for addition to the water right owner’s
allocation during the current irrigation season.
During a short irrigation season (75% or below), the deadline for
approval by the Nevada State Engineer would be July 1st.
The District cannot guarantee that water will be available nor can
the District guarantee delivery of water if the time limits as stated
above are not adhered to.
SUBDIVISIONS
In
the case of property having been subdivided, the District will deliver
water to the original takeout only. It
shall be the obligation of the subdivider and purchasers of the subdivided
land to construct and maintain necessary facilities to irrigate from
original District structures in accordance with District policy.
A
watering subdivision is made up of the water users in a neighborhood
who irrigate from an original takeout. The irrigation allowance of each
member of the group is added together to arrive at the allocation for the
subdivision. The members of the subdivision shall irrigate under one
delivery, and no additional deliveries will be made for a period of seven
days. Water will be measured
at the original District takeout only.
The
members of each watering subdivision shall choose ONE person to act as
Coordinator within the watering subdivision and ONE alternate and submit
those names to the District Water Master for approval.
These two persons will be the Ditchriders and District’s contact.
Other members of the subdivision are required to contact their
coordinator. The
responsibilities of the Coordinator would be to: (1)
order water as needed by users within the subdivision; (2) coordinate and
organize the efficient distribution of water within the subdivision; and
(3) account for usage of water within the subdivision.
OWNERSHIP CHANGES
The
change of ownership of water-righted parcels requires that the new owner
provide a “Record of Conveyance” and “Abstract of Title” to the
District of the change. Upon
payment of the appropriate administrative fee, the District will make the
necessary changes to allow the new owner to order water.
Construction/Repair
on Project Easements:
The District
owns, or has possessory rights to, the system of irrigation and drainage
ditches which serves the Newlands Project, together with the rights-of-way
appurtenant thereto. No
building or construction thereon, including piping, filling, fencing, or
other alteration thereof may be performed unless WRITTEN
permission therefore has first been obtained from the District.
The following are
excerpts taken from Nevada Revised Statutes for your information:
N.R.S.
539.783
LIABILITY OF WATER USER NEGLIGENTLY, WRONGFULLY IMPAIRING DISTRICT
WORKS; NOTICE TO REPAIR. Any
water user, or his agent or lessees, of an irrigation district who shall
negligently or wrongfully impair the usefulness of any reservoir, canal,
ditch, lateral, drain, headgate, structure, or any part of the irrigation
district system of works and fails to repair the same within 10 days after
notice from the District so to do, or who fails within such time to file
with the Board of Directors good and sufficient reasons for so failing to
do, shall become liable for the payment thereof as provided in this
chapter, or the irrigation district may make such repairs and add and
collect the same as an operation and maintenance charge against the lands
of the water user for the next succeeding irrigation season.
N.R.S.
536.040
CONTRIBUTIONS OF OWNERS FOR PROPORTIONATE SHARE OF WORK.
In all cases where ditches are owned by two or more persons, and
one or more of such persons shall fail or neglect to do a proportionate
share of the work necessary for the proper maintenance and operation of
such ditch or ditches, or to construct suitable headgates or other devices
at the point where water is diverted from the main ditch, such owner or
owners desiring the performance of such work may, after giving 10 days
written notice to such other owner or owners who failed to perform such
proportionate share of the work necessary for the operation and
maintenance of such ditch or ditches, perform such share of the work, and
recover therefore from such person or persons in default the reasonable
expense of such work.
N.R.S.
536.050
STATEMENT OF EXPENSES CONSTITUTES VALID LIEN AGAINST PROPERTY OF
DEFAULTING CO-OWNER. Upon the failure of any co-owner to pay his
proportionate share of such expense, as mentioned in N.R.S. or persons so
performing such labor may secure payment of such claim by filing an
itemized and sworn statement thereof, setting forth the date of the
performance and the nature of the labor so performed, with the County
Clerk of the county wherein the ditch is situated and when so filed it
shall constitute a valid lien against the interest of such person or
persons in default which lien may be established and enforced in the same
manner as provided by law for the enforcement of mechanics’ liens.
PROJECT
MANAGER
O
& M FOREMAN
Dave Overvold
Walt Winder
427-9095 cell phone
427-0314 cell phone
WATER
MASTER Division 1 WATER
MASTER Division 2
Brian Baley
John Baker
427-2891 cell phone
427-2892 cell phone
Fernley/Old River
427-0100
Smart/St. Clair 427-0125
Sheckler/Island
427-0312
Factory/Stillwater 427-0031
Fernley Users can dial Toll Free – 877-627-2475
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