[CVRC] Flood Watch for Carson City, NV

[Dick Flanagan]

Flood Watch
425 PM PDT Mon may 16 2005

...The Flood Warning for the West Fork Carson River from Woodfords
California to Centerville Nevada has been cancelled...

...No flooding is occurring or expected on the Carson or Walker
rivers at this time...

Forecasts for the following locations are included in this
statement...

For the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords...
for the East Fork Carson River near Gardnerville...
for the mainstem Carson River near Carson City...
for the west Walker River near Coleville...

Heavy rainfall overnight combined with snowmelt runoff produced
significant rises on the Carson and west Walker River today.  The
east and West Fork Carson rivers...and west Walker River...were near
crest Monday afternoon
and were expected to recede over the next few days.  The mainstem
Carson River will continue to rise in the Carson City Nevada area
through Tuesday morning to near two feet below flood stage...then
fluctuate near this level through Tuesday afternoon.  Continued
snowmelt and possible rain later this week will keep river levels
high through the week...but no flooding is expected at this time.

Following are the forecasts...

For the West Fork Carson River at Woodfords...at 3 PM Monday the
stage was 13.7 feet and falling.  This was 0.3 feet below the 14.0
foot flood stage.  It is forecast to continue to recede to about
12.5 feet by Tuesday afternoon.  At 13.5 feet...there is very minor
flooding of lowest areas along the West Fork Carson River.
Residents along the river should be prepared for flooding if there
are additional rises due to additional snowmelt and/or rainfall
runoff.  About 1400 cubic feet per second /cfs/.

For the East Fork Carson River near Gardnerville...at 3 PM Monday the
stage was 8.3 feet and falling.  This is 1.2 feet below the 9.5 foot
flood stage. It is forecast to recede to near 7.5 feet by Tuesday
afternoon.  At 8.5 minor lowland flooding begins in Carson Valley
along the East Fork of the Carson River.  Flood prone areas include
Washoe Indian Reservation...Carson Valley Country Club...Glenwood
drive...Riverview drive...Centerville Road...NV Hwy 88...Westwood
Village...rocky Slough...Dresslerville Road...Waterloo and
Mottsville lanes.  About 4750 cfs.

For the Carson River near Carson City...at 3 PM Monday the stage was
6.2 feet and rising.  This is 3.8 feet below the 10.0 foot flood
stage.  The mainstem Carson River near Carson City is expected to
continue rising slowly to near 8.0 feet Tuesday morning...then
fluctuate near 8.0 feet through Tuesday afternoon.  Very localized
overbank flood flows begin at about 8.0 feet...about 5240 cfs...in
the lowest areas.

For the west Walker River near Coleville...at 3 PM Monday the stage
was 8.5 feet and falling slowly.  This is 0.5 feet below the 9.0
foot flood
stage. It is forecast to recede to near 7.0 feet by Tuesday
afternon.  At 8.5 feet...3500 cfs...there is localized lowland
flooding occurs between Walker and Topaz California in the Antelope
Valley California.

These river forecasts are based on forecast rainfall and temperature
conditions at time of issuance.  If actual conditions vary from these
forecasts...river conditions will vary accordingly.  River forecasts
include current and planned Reservoir releases.

Although no flooding is forecast at this time...you should be alert
for heavy rain upstream of your location which could cause rapid
rises on rivers and streams.  Be prepared to move valuables away
from areas subject to flooding.  Stay tuned to developments by
listening to NOAA Weather Radio or your favorite new source...

Real-time stage and flow information for many rivers and streams in
the eastern Sierra and Nevada is available from USGS on the internet
at: http://waterdata.USGS.Gov/NV/nwis/rt ...in lower case.

The next forecast update for these locations will be issued at about
9am Tuesday may 17th.

Expires:172250 gmt

--
Dick Flanagan K7VC NV SM
E-mail: k7vc at arrl.org